Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2013 with the aim of providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which would describe each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

• RUSA would create new universities through upgradation of existing autonomous colleges and conversion of colleges in a cluster. It would create new model degree colleges, new professional colleges and provide infrastructural support to universities and colleges. Faculty recruitment support, faculty improvement programmes and leadership development of educational administrators are also an important part of the scheme.

Challenges

• Homogeneous improvement in all the three areas i.e. access, equity and quality across India would be a key challenge for RUSA.
• Reaching out to rural India and socially and educationally backward class maybe another challenge RUSA would face.
• To make RUSA a success, the government must ensure timely disbursal of funds, proper accountability mechanism to ensure effective utilisation of funds and targeted approach to enhance reach.