Parliament Question: Educational institutions in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2915 ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026 Educational institutions in Tamil Nadu 2915 Shri Anthiyur P. Selvarasu: Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has reviewed faculty shortage and infrastructure needs in colleges in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, including Perundurai and Erode city institutions seeking better research and employability outcomes; (b) if so, the details of Government staffing gaps, lab upgradation plans, internship facilitation, funding support and quality monitoring measures carried out in Erode district; and (c) the initiatives proposed to be taken by Government to strengthen research support, employability-linked courses, entrepreneurship exposure and industry-academia collaboration in the said district? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c): Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility of both the Central and State Governments. However, recognizing the need for central assistance, the Department of Higher Education, Government of India, is implementing Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges, so as to improve their quality by ensuring their conformity to prescribed norms and standards. The government has launched the third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in June 2023 in the form of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), with an outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore, including the committed liabilities of the earlier phase of RUSA, for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. Tamil Nadu has not signed MoU for implementation of PM-USHA till date.Under the earlier phases of RUSA, the state of Tamil Nadu has been approved a total of 100 projects amounting to Rs. 873.95 crore including support under various components such as Enhancing Quality and Excellence in Select State Universities (Rs.100 crore), Research Innovation and Quality Improvement (Rs.50 crore), Infrastructure Grants to Universities (Rs.20 crore), Faculty Improvement (Rs.7 crore), etc. for strengthening infrastructure, including the construction and renovation of academic and administrative buildings, hostels, research facilities, digital laboratories, and other enabling facilities required for improving access and quality in higher education. Of the total amount approved to the State, Bharathiar University Constituent Model College, Modakurichi in Erode district have been supported with a total amount of Rs. 2 crore under the Infrastructure Grants to Colleges component. *****