Union Education Minister To Review Higher Education Scheme In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will fly down to Odisha on August 19 (Thursday) to review the status of a national funding scheme for higher educational institutes in the state.

During his four-day tour, the minister will monitor the implementation of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in Odisha. He will also meet the state Higher Education Minister and officials in this regard.

Launched in 2013, RUSA aims to provide funding to select higher educational institutions in the states. The Union Education Ministry disburses the funds in the ratio of 60:40 for general category states, 90:10 for special category states and 100% for Union Territories.

RUSA seeks to improve the quality of state institutions and ensuring conformity to prescribed norms.

The other aims are quality assurance through accreditation, reforms in higher education system, planning and monitoring.

The other features of the scheme are to ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination systems, adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions, ensure capacity building at all levels of employment, create an enabling atmosphere in the higher educational institutions to devote themselves to research and innovations, expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions, in order to achieve enrolment targets and correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in unserved and underserved areas.

It also seeks to improve equity by providing opportunities in higher education to SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes as well as promote the inclusion of women, minorities, and differently-abled persons.