Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• Higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India
• What is Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)?
• News Summary: Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan -14 States yet to join Centre’s flagship education scheme
• Concerns raised by states

 

Why in news?

• 14 States and Union Territories are yet to sign a crucial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Education Ministry.
• The MoU mandates the implementation of the National Education Policy in order to avail funds worth almost ₹13,000 crore for the next three years.
• These funds will be disbursed under the Centre’s flagship scheme for State-run higher education - Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).

 

Higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India

• Statistics
  • As per the AISHE report 2020-21, there are 1,113 Universities, 43,796 Colleges, and 11,296 Stand Alone Institutions.
    • There are 422 State Public Universities that have 41,836 affiliated colleges.
    • 446 Universities are privately managed and 475 Universities are located in rural areas, 17 are women-centric universities.
  • Total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 4.13 crores with 2.12 crores boys and 2.01 crores females.
    • Females constitute 48.7% of the total enrolment.
  • There are 2,255 students enrolled in Integrated Ph.D. in addition to 2.11 lakh students enrolled in Ph.D. Level.
• Major problems currently faced by the higher education system in India – As identified by National Education Policy 2020:
  • A severely fragmented higher educational ecosystem; less emphasis on the development of cognitive skills and learning outcomes;
  • A rigid separation of disciplines, early specialization, and streaming of students into narrow areas of study;
  • Limited access particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, with few HEIs that teach in local languages;
  • Limited teacher and institutional autonomy;
  • Inadequate mechanisms for merit-based career management and progression of faculty and institutional leaders;
  • Lesser emphasis on research at most universities and colleges, and lack of competitive peer-reviewed research funding across disciplines;
  • Suboptimal governance and leadership of HEIs;
  • An ineffective regulatory system; and large affiliating universities result in low standards of undergraduate education.
• PM-USHA aims to address the key gaps and issues identified by NEP 2020.

 

What is Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)?

• Background
  • Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to fund States/UTs institutions.
  • It was launched with the vision to attain higher levels of access, equity, and excellence in the State higher education system with greater efficiency, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.
  • The first phase of the scheme was launched in 2013 and the second phase was launched in 2018.
  • Now, in the light of the National Education Policy, RUSA scheme has been launched as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
• About
  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Government of India executed through the Ministry of Education.
  • The scheme aims to work with over 300 HEIs including the state universities, its affiliated colleges to raise the quality of education.

 

Key Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

• The key objectives of PM-USHA are to improve access, equity and quality in higher education through planned development of higher education at the state level.
  • The objectives also include:
    • creating new academic institutions,
    • expanding and upgrading the existing ones,
    • developing institutions that are self-reliant in terms of quality education, professionally managed, and characterized by greater inclination towards research.
• Funding
  • The PM-USHA aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.
  • The central funding is based on norms and is outcome dependent.
  • Funds flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories before reaching the identified institutions.
  • Funding to states is made on the basis of the critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which enlist each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

 

News Summary: Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan - 14 States yet to join Centre’s flagship education scheme 

Concerns raised by states

• The MoU is being signed to show the willingness of States and UTs to participate in the PM-USHA scheme and it will help in the better implementation of the scheme.
• States have expressed worries about the MoU because it requires them to cover 40% of the budget for the PM-USHA initiative.
  • PM-USHA aims to improve the quality of higher education in State Universities while ensuring equity, access, and inclusion.
    • It will do so through curricular and programme changes, teacher training, physical and digital infrastructure, accreditation, and enhancing employability.
  • It provides an outlay of ₹12,926.10 crore between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
• Additionally, there are no additional funds set aside specifically for carrying out reforms outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP).
  • The MoU makes it mandatory for States to undertake the administrative, academic, accreditation, and governance reforms detailed in the NEP.
  • This also includes an academic credit bank, entry and exit flexibility, and the Samarth e-governance platform.
  • This has irked some State governments as States will need more funds and aid from the Centre to implement the NEP.

 

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Q1) What is National Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a comprehensive framework for the reform and development of the education system in India. It was approved by the Government of India on July 29, 2020. The NEP 2020 aims to bring about significant changes and improvements across all levels of education, from preschool to higher education, and to address the evolving needs and challenges of the 21st century.

 

Q2) What is Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)?

The Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a centrally-sponsored scheme initiated by the Government of India to enhance the quality and accessibility of higher education institutions across the country. The primary objective of RUSA is to provide strategic funding to improve the overall infrastructure, governance, and academic quality of universities and colleges, both at the state and central levels.

 

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Source: 14 States yet to join Centre’s flagship education scheme | Department of Higher Education | UGC