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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4207
ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026
Grant under PM USHA scheme to Uttar Pradesh
4207 Shri Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh:
Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:
(a) the total quantum of Central grants approved and disbursed to State universities in Uttar
Pradesh under the PM Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM USHA);
(b) the specific higher education institutions in the State selected for the upgradation of their
academic and research infrastructure;
(c) the progress of implementing multidisciplinary education frameworks within these funded
Universities;
(d) the details of the digital infrastructure, including smart classrooms and central libraries,
developed using these specific funds; and
(e) the mechanisms established by the Ministry to audit the timely and transparent utilization
of the PM USHA grants by the State Government?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c): 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. 12,926.10 crore, including the committed liabilities of the earlier
phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. PM-
USHA 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. Under the Scheme, support is provided to States/UTs for
strengthening infrastructure, including construction of hostels, academic and administrative
buildings, laboratories and other facilities required for improving access and quality in higher
education.
In the State of Uttar Pradesh, under various phases of the scheme, a total of 204 units, for an
amount of Rs. 1942.27 Cr have been approved. Under PM-USHA a total of 66 projects
amounting to Rs. 1025.19 Cr have been approved to the State, including Rs. 739.92 Cr to 14universities approved under components such as: Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research
Universities (MERU) (100 Cr each) and Grants to Strengthen Universities (GSU) (20 Cr each).
Under MERU component, the Universities in respective States/ UTs are expected to undertake
various mandatory activities such as (i) implementation of National Credit Framework (NCrF)
and Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and implementation of elective course system; (ii)
adoption of Academic Bank of Credits; (iii) courses in Indian Languages; (iv) embedding Indian
knowledge System (IKS) in the Curriculum; (v) bridge courses for socially and economically
disadvantaged students etc.
(d): Under PM-USHA, States/ UTs and Universities/ Colleges can undertake various activities
aimed at enhancing access, equity and excellence in education, including promoting Online
Distance Learning (ODL) and online programs such as SWAYAM/ MOOCs; construction of
smart classrooms/ computer labs/ research laboratories/ digital libraries with subscriptions to
reputed journals; and training to develop 21st-century skills, etc.
(e): Under the scheme, as per the government rules and procedures, regular audits of the
scheme are conducted at Central and State/UTs level. Based on the audited statements of
expenditure of the various supported HEIs, a consolidated Utilisation Certificate (UC) is sought
from State/UTs for release of further grants to the State/UTs. The Ministry also reviews
progress of works through various review meetings, physical visits etc. under the scheme.
Furthermore, under the scheme, funds are released through the SNA-SPARSH model for all
States /UTs. Under the SNA-SPARSH model, funds are released ‘just in time’, and vendors
and beneficiaries receive direct payments through daily sanction releases based on the
submission of bills on the PFMS portal.
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