RASHTRIYA UCHCHATAR SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (RUSA)

FOR REFORMING STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

EDITED BY,
DR LAXMIKANT BASAVRAJ DAMA
M.SC., PH.D., FZSI, FSLSC, FSAB, FIAAB
HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY,
D.B.F. DAYANAND COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE,
SOLAPUR
(M.S.), INDIA
SOUTHRAJ@GMAIL.COM

ABOUT RUSA
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA),
Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for reforming the state
higher education system
During the 12th Plan period, 80 new universities would be
created by converting autonomous colleges/colleges in a
cluster to State universities. 100 new colleges, including
professional/technical colleges would be set up and 54
existing colleges would be converted into model degree
colleges.

Infrastructure grants would be given to 150 universities and 3,500

colleges to upgrade and fill critical gaps in infrastructure
especially libraries, laboratories etc. RUSA would also support
5,000 faculty positions.
In the 12th Plan period, RUSA would have a financial outlay of Rs.
22,855 crore, of which Rs.16,227 crore will be the Central share.
In addition, allocation of Rs. 1,800 crore in the 12th Plan for the
existing scheme Sub-Mission polytechnics would also be subsumed
in RUSA. Thus the total central share, including the existing
scheme of polytechnics will be Rs. 18,027 crore during the 12th
Plan.

RUSA will be a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme spread over two

plan periods, for improving access, equity and quality in the
state higher education system. With over 96 percent of students
enrolled in the state higher education system, there is a need
for State colleges and universities to be strengthened through
strategic Central funding and implementing certain much
needed reforms. RUSA also aims to incentivize States to step up
plan investments in higher education.

IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES OF THE

SCHEME

Improving the overall quality of existing state higher

educational institutions by ensuring conformity to
prescribed norms and standards and adoption of
accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.
Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education
through high quality institutions in rural and semi urban
areas as well as creating opportunities for students from
rural areas to get access to better quality institutions.

Setting up of higher education institutions in unserved and

underserved areas.
Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate
opportunities to socially deprived communities; promote inclusion
of women, minorities, SC/ST and OBCs as well as differently abled
persons.
Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher
educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels.
Create an enabling atmosphere in higher educational institutions
to devote themselves to research and innovation.
Integrate skill developments efforts of the government with the
conventional higher education system through optimum
interventions.

All funding under RUSA would be norm based and future grants
would be performance based and outcome dependent.
Commitment by States and institutions to certain academic,
administrative and governance reforms will be a
precondition for receiving funding.

STATE HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL

AND
OTHER INSTITUTIONS
The main agency through which RUSA will work in the States
will be the State Higher Education Council (SHEC), an
autonomous body that will function at an arms length from
the state and central governments. It maybe be immediately
created through an executive order by the issued by the
States, but within must be accorded statutory status within
5 years.

RUSA has suggested a composition and structure for

the Council. The Council will be expected to perform
planning, monitoring & evaluation, quality assurance
and academic functions, as well as advisory and
funding functions.
It will plan for the development of higher education at
the state level and the State Higher Education Plan
prepared by it would constitute the main instrument to
guide the entire transformative process in the state
higher education sector.
SHEC will be assisted by State Project Directorate
and Technical Support Group. In every institution, the
Governing Body and a Project Monitoring Unit will
oversee the project progress.

FUND FLOW FROM STATE TO

INSTITUTIONS (UNIVERSITIES AND
SHEC should transfer the funds to the
COLLEGES)
districts/institutions/executing
agencies within 15 days of the
receipt of funds from GoI. These funds include all components
agreed to in the State.
Higher Education Plan as agreed to by the GoI.
SHEC should directly credit to the bank account of the institutions
The releases made to Institutions should be as per the approved
Institutional Action Plans and after adjusting unspent balances
from the previous year

FREQUENCY OF FUND RELEASE

The funds are released in

tranches based on the
utilization of previous funds.
Normally, the funds are released
in a minimum of two or more
tranches if required.

UNIVERSITY
The basic Unit of Information collection will be the university.
The university will collect all the information from affiliated
and constituted colleges.
The information will be collected through the Management
Information System that will be developed and installed in
all universities for this purpose.

STATE HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL

The State Higher Education Council will collate this information at a
state level. The responsibility of timely and accurate data
collection and maintenance of the MIS systems is one of the major
responsibilities of the State Higher Education Council. This
information would have three-fold use for the Council: Assessing
the performance of very university on an yearly basis, in terms of
the norms set by RUSA and advising universities to improve their
performance
Assessing the performance of universities against specific grants or
project based funding
Formulation of the five/ten year state education Plans on the basis of
the current performance and possible future growth

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF RUSA

80 new universities would be created by converting autonomous

colleges/colleges and 100 New colleges
RUSA would also support 5,000 faculty positions.
RUSA would have a financial outlay of Rs. 22,855 crore, of which
Rs.16,227 crore will be the Central share.
The Aim of the RUSA is 96 % of students enrolled in the state higher
education system
Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education through high
quality institutions in rural and semi urban areas.
RUSA will release future grants based on performance based and
outcome dependent.

RUSA will work in the States as a State Higher Education

Council (SHEC), an autonomous body that will function at an
arms length from the state and central governments.

Assessing the performance of the universities on an yearly

basis.

RUSA- (INDIA) USEFUL LINKS FOR

DETAILS AND APPLICATION
http://mhrd.gov.in/rusa
http://www.osmania.ac.in/RUSA-2013/RUSA_final090913.pdf
http://www.nmu.ac.in/Portals/0/Events/RUSA%20FAQs.pdf