Context:
Education, as the cornerstone of comprehensive development, empowers individuals, societies, and nations alike. High-quality contemporary education facilitates economic, intellectual, and social advancement by equipping young people with essential qualities such as critical thinking, creativity, skill enhancement, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Given India’s significant demographic dividend, the nation’s commitment to providing high-quality education tailored to the demands of the 21st century will shape its future trajectory.
Relevance:
GS2- Education
Mains Question:
The Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has emerged as a key driver for promoting equity, access, and excellence in higher education. Comment. (10 Marks, 150 Words).
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA):
- In this regard, the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a comprehensive centrally sponsored scheme, has emerged as a crucial catalyst for promoting fairness, accessibility, and excellence in higher education.
- RUSA’s primary objective is to establish an environment conducive to top-notch higher education by strategically funding higher education institutions across state governments and union territories.
- RUSA also prioritizes achieving equity in higher education by advocating for the inclusion of women, tribal communities, minorities, persons with disabilities, socially disadvantaged groups, and economically disadvantaged sections.
- Additionally, it aims to ensure quality assurance, infrastructure enhancement, faculty recruitment, and the promotion of research and innovation.
- Implemented in mission mode, RUSA funds state government universities and colleges to attain educational goals.
- This approach has enabled state governments to strategically plan and execute comprehensive reforms in the higher education landscape, addressing issues related to access, equity, quality, and other pertinent concerns.
- Following the completion of its initial phase, RUSA was extended as RUSA 2.0 until March 2020, with further extensions granted until March 2021 under the same programmatic and financial frameworks.
Outcome of RUSA:
- RUSA, structured around norms and outcomes, has significantly influenced sectoral outcomes through various targeted components. In its first phase, RUSA covered a total of 2,107 institutions across different components, with an allocated budget of 8,118 crore for infrastructural grants.
- Under the second phase, approximately 1,050 institutions received funding, with a total allocation of 6,475 crore.
- Within this allocation, infrastructure grants comprised 35%, while quality and research initiatives constituted 31%.
- Notably, the second phase has witnessed better target achievement in certain areas, indicating an enhanced level of implementation maturity and efficiency in processes.
- An independent evaluation conducted by IIT Bombay in 2017 revealed that the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) surged from 19.4% in 2013 to 25.2% in 2018, and there was a notable improvement in the teacher-student ratio following the implementation of RUSA.
Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA):
- In alignment with the National Education Policy, the RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) Scheme has been introduced as the “Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)” in June 2023.
- The revamped version of RUSA aims to extend its reach to underserved areas, including remote, rural, and challenging geographies, as well as regions affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), the North-eastern region, aspirational districts, tier-2 cities, and areas with low GER.
- Its objective is to benefit the most marginalized communities and socio-economically disadvantaged groups while revitalizing the education system to align with the key recommendations of NEP-2020.
- PM-USHA represents the central government’s dedication to fulfilling the potential of India’s state universities.
- These campuses hold the key to the nation’s future by fostering quality education, transformative research, and fostering skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- The focus of strategic funding under PM-USHA has shifted towards transformative initiatives such as gender inclusivity, multidisciplinary education and research, ICT integration, and enhancing employability through vocational training, skill development, and innovation.
- This initiative is set to support approximately 1,600 projects amounting to Rs 12,929.16 crores, with a 60:40 cost-sharing arrangement with state governments.
Concerns:
- While the number of accredited institutions have risen during the scheme’s duration, a significant portion of institutions remains unaccredited.
- Despite the scheme’s emphasis on bolstering infrastructure, previous surveys have highlighted deficiencies in infrastructural availability and quality in some institutions.
- Additionally, there has been limited utilization of ICT-based teaching methods in certain sampled institutes.
Conclusion:
As a centrally sponsored initiative, RUSA’s vision is clear: some of life’s most valuable lessons are learned beyond the confines of a classroom. This approach aims to strengthen the connection between education and employment by addressing the skills gap and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit among youth. Ultimately, it seeks to equip young people with essential life skills to actively contribute to India’s economic, intellectual, and social progress, aligning with PM Modi’s vision of a Developed India by 2047.
