Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)

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Context

• Opposition-ruled have raised concerns about the MoU, given that 40% of the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) budget must be borne by the States themselves, and no extra funds have been earmarked for NEP reforms.

Introduction

• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to fund States/UTs institutions, 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).

All about PM USHA Scheme

Scheme and Execution

• PM-Uchchatar SHiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), 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.

Objectives

• 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 and provide students with education that is relevant to them as well the nation as a whole.

Broad Activities

• The broad activities of the TSG-PM-USHA include but not limited to

(a) Providing technical support to the National Implementing Bodies for appraising State Higher Education Plans (SHEP),

(b) Liaising with states to fill gaps in the SHEPs as necessary,

(c) Providing the strategic support to conduct Research and Evaluation of the PM-USHA Scheme,

(d) Building capacities of all the stakeholders for the successful implementation of the PM-USHA Scheme,

(e) Coordination/ monitoring of activities, organizing meetings, seminars, workshops, studies, visits, managing media outreach activities and any other capacity building programs for effective implementation of the PM-USHA Scheme,

(f) Logistic support as may be required in connection with implementation of the PM-USHA Scheme,

(g) Providing other support as may be required from time to time, to the national implementing bodies for implementing PM-USHA and

(h) Any other issues that needs to be addressed as per the needs and objectives of the scheme.

https://www.thehindu.com/education/14-states-yet-to-sign-mou-with-centre-needed-to-avail-higher-education-funds/article67191204.ece