Govt to launch RUSA app, portal today; here's what its all about

Ministry of Human Resource Development is gearing up for the launch of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)’s own portal and mobile app on Monday April 17.

RUSA was initiated to incentivise and disincentivise state actions. It aimed at creating new universities through upgradation of existing autonomous colleges and conversion of colleges in a cluster.

“Inside thousands of classrooms across India, teaching-learning has once again been revived. Given the commitments made by the States under RUSA on removal of ban on recruitment and filling up of vacant positions, many States have started the process of filling faculty positions,” the government said in a release on Sunday.

What is RUSA?

The scheme was launched in 2013 and aimed at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.

“The central funding (in the ratio of 60:40 for general category States, 90:10 for special category states and 100% for union territories) would be norm based and outcome dependent. The funding would flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions,” HRD Ministry said.

What are its Objectives?

The objectives of the scheme as listed by the HRD website has been stated as under.

1. Improve the overall quality of state institutions by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and standards and adopt accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.

2. Usher transformative reforms in the state higher education system by creating a facilitating institutional structure for planning and monitoring at the state level, promoting autonomy in State Universities and improving governance in institutions.

3. Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination systems.

4. Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels of employment.

5. Create an enabling atmosphere in the higher educational institutions to devote themselves to research and innovations.

6. Expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions, in order to achieve enrolment targets.

7. Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in unserved & underserved areas.

8. Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes; promote inclusion of women, minorities, and differently abled persons.

New projects of RUSA

The Ministry said that there would be seventeen projects unveiled today.

“They include a cluster university in Jammu and Kashmir, micro ATM facility at the RUSA centre for intelligent systems in Pune University, solar power facility in Shree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala; language laboratories in Ghatsila College, Jharkhand, among others,” HRD Ministry said.
Fund and Reform Tracker

RUSA will also be launching a mobile phone tracker under Union HRD Minister, Prakash Javadekar for the centrally sponsored scheme.

The government said that the mobile application will ensure that all projects under RUSA are tracked 24x7.

“The portal is a one-stop for States’ Higher Education Plans, decision of the States’ Higher Education Councils and details of the resources under this scheme. Also, the gallery is a rich repository of the projects initiated under RUSA,” the government added.

Progress so far

“Prior to the formation of RUSA, 9 State Higher Education Councils were created by an Act of the legislature. The States joined RUSA with a commitment to create State Higher Education Councils within a stipulated time indicated by them. To date, 21 more States/UTs have already created State Higher Education Councils through an executive order and 5 more States have established State Higher Education Councils through an Act of the legislature. Till date, out of 36 States and UTs, 34 States and UTs except Delhi and Lakshadweep have submitted their Higher Education Plan. Each State has to prepare a State Higher Education Plan through a bottom-up approach in consultation with their key stakeholders,” the Ministry said.

The government further said that 29 States and 6 Union Territories of India were participating in RUSA.

“Over 2000 State Universities and Colleges have been supported so far. The National GER prior to the launch of RUSA was 20.8 (2012), with Male GER at 22.1 and Female GER at 19.4. RUSA assistance has been critical in witnessing a growth in the GER. A substantial increase in the National GER has been recorded at 24.5, with male GER at 25.4 and female GER at 23.5 in 2015-16 (Source: AISHE 2015-16),” HRD Ministry said.