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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3699
ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026
Implementation and outcome monitoring under PM USHA
3699 # Shri Shambhu Sharan Patel:
Shri Mithlesh Kumar:
Shri Brij Lal:
Shri Kesridevsinh Jhala:
Dr. Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde:
Shri Deepak Prakash:
Shri Mokariya Rambhai:
Shri Tejveer Singh:
Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni:
Shri Subhash Barala:
Shri S. Selvaganabathy:
Shri Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade:
Shri Narhari Amin:
Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:
(a) the present status of implementation of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM
USHA), including number of States/UTs onboarded, units approved and funds sanctioned
and released so far;
(b) the institutional and monitoring framework established at the Central and State levels for
appraisal, evaluation and performance-based fund release;
(c) whether specific interventions have been approved for focus districts, underserved
regions and New Model Degree Colleges; and
(d) if so, the details thereof, including expected impact on access, equity and quality
indicators in higher education?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a): 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, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas.Under the scheme, a total of 34 States and UTs have signed the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) for participating in the scheme and a total of 613 units have been
approved in various States/UTs for a total support amounting to Rs. 8190.73 crore.
(b): The Government is monitoring for effective implementation of these education projects
through regular online/physical review meetings with stakeholders. Implementation and
monitoring of projects under the Scheme is the responsibility of both the Central and State
Governments. 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.
(c) & (d): Under the scheme, priority is given to Focus Districts. The focus districts are
identified by the concerned States/ UTs based on various criteria including low Gross
Enrolment Ratio, Gender Parity, population proportion and enrolment proportion for females,
transgenders, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes,
Aspirational/ Border Area/ Left Wing Extremism prone district, etc.
The scheme envisages improvement in access, equity and excellence in State Higher
Education system through support under various components viz., Multi-Disciplinary
Education and Research Universities (MERU), Grants to Strengthen Universities (GSU),
Grants to Strengthen Colleges (GSC), New Model Degree Colleges (NMDC) and Gender
Inclusion and Equity Initiatives (GIEI). Under the scheme, establishment of 137 New Model
Degree Colleges (NMDCs) have been approved for support under the component of ‘New
Model Degree Colleges’ at a total amount of Rs. 12 – 15 crore each.
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