Parliament Question: Implementation of PM-USHA in the Country

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2706 ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026 Implementation of PM-USHA in the Country †2706. Shri Bhumare Sandipanrao Asaram: Smt. Delkar Kalaben Mohanbhai: Shri Gyaneshwar Patil: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the current status of implementation of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) in various States/UTs across the country, particularly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli; (b) the parameters used to assess the effectiveness of PM-USHA in improving the quality and access of higher education and promoting equality along with the progress made so far in terms of said indicators; (c) the total financial outlay approved under PM-USHA along with the duration of the said scheme; (d) the detailed funding pattern including the varied ratio of shares between the Central Government and the participating State Government for the purpose of fund disbursement along with the available mechanism thereof; and (e) the details of the various States including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, district-wise? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c): The government 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, for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. PM-USHA is a CentrallySponsored 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. As on date, under PM-USHA, a total of 613 units (including 61 units in Maharashtra and 38 units in Madhya Pradesh) have been approved in various States/UTs for a total support amounting to Rs. 8168.51 crore. Furthermore, the scheme has been further extended till 31st March, 2028 for completion of PM-USHA projects and for additional 6 months (i.e., 30th September, 2026) for completion of ongoing RUSA projects. To assess the effectiveness of PM-USHA in improving the quality and access of higher education and promoting equality, the PM-USHA guidelines specify a detailed Output- Outcome Framework with measurable parameters/indicators for each component such as number of HEIs adopting Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation improvements, Patents, Publications, number of female students enrolled in workshops/ seminars/ trainings/ programmes conducted to improve equity, access and inclusion etc. Moreover, the States/UTs have submitted their yearly targets for these indicators while submitting proposals and the States/UTs share updates on these regularly through the PM-USHA portal as part of the monitoring process. (d) & (e): Under the scheme, the Central: State funding ratio is 90:10 for the North- eastern States/ Jammu and Kashmir/ Himachal Pradesh/ Uttarakhand; 100:0 for UTs without Legislature such as Dadra and Nagar Haveli; and 60:40 for the other States such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh/ Puducherry/ Delhi. There are no separate district-wise funding ratios and the same funding ratio of Centre and States/UTs is being applied to the respective districts in the State/UT for fund disbursement. The district- wise details of units approved under PM-USHA in various States/UTs including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli are given at url: https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/upload_document/pmusha_di st26.pdf Furthermore, under the scheme, funds are released through the SNA-SPARSH model for all States /UTs. However, for UTs without legislature, funds are released through the SNA model. Funds are released to the States/UTs subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions by the States/UTs, such as transfer of the corresponding state share, utilization of at least 75% of the previously released funds, compliance with conditions laid down by the Project Approval Board (PAB), submission of consolidated Utilization Certificates (UCs), compliance with the instructions of the Ministry of Finance, etc. *****