Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education addressed Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 18 on July 21, 2025, regarding the establishment of model degree colleges in educationally backward districts. The response details the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme and its continuation as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA), focusing on improving higher education in underserved areas. PMUSHA, with an outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore for 2023-24 to 2025-26, aims to enhance access, equity, and excellence in state higher education.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA):**
* Centrally Sponsored Scheme to fund state government universities and colleges.
* Aims to improve quality by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and standards.
* **Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA):**
* Launched in June 2023 as the third phase of RUSA.
* Outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26, including committed liabilities of the earlier phase of RUSA.
* Caters to the needs of educationally unserved/underserved areas.
* Priority given to focus districts identified by States/UTs based on criteria like low Gross Enrolment Ratio, Gender Parity, and population/enrolment proportion for females, transgenders, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
* Includes Aspirational Border Area Left Wing Extremism prone districts.
* **Scheme Components:**
* Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU).
* Grants to Strengthen Universities (GSU).
* Grants to Strengthen Colleges (GSC).
* New Model Degree Colleges (NMDC).
* Gender Inclusion and Equity Initiatives (GIEI).
* **Overall Approvals:**
* 615 units approved under PMUSHA in various States/UTs.
* Total amount of Rs. 8178.71 Crore under various components.
* **Tamil Nadu Specifics:**
* 99 projects approved under RUSA with a total central support of Rs. 526 crore.
* 85 projects have been completed.
* Budget allocation for FY 2025-26 is Rs. 25.5 Crore to meet committed liabilities of earlier RUSA phases.
Impact Analysis:
State Government Universities and Colleges:
* Impact: Potential to receive funding to improve quality, access, and equity in higher education.
* Action Required: Conform to prescribed norms and standards to be eligible for RUSA/PMUSHA funding; Identify focus districts based on specified criteria.
Educationally Backward Districts:
* Impact: Potential establishment of new model degree colleges and improved higher education opportunities.
* Action Required: N/A (Benefit from scheme implementation)
Ministry of Education:
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing and implementing the RUSA/PMUSHA scheme.
* Action Required: Ensure effective allocation and utilization of funds; Monitor the progress and outcomes of approved projects.
State of Tamil Nadu:
* Impact: Receives central support for higher education projects.
* Action Required: Utilize allocated funds effectively; Complete approved projects; Provide information on project status.
Students (especially females, transgenders, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes):
* Impact: Improved access to higher education and enhanced educational opportunities.
* Action Required: N/A (Benefit from scheme implementation)
Key Entities Referenced
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges to improve their quality.
Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA): The third phase of RUSA, launched in June 2023, with an outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.
Tamil Nadu: A state in India where model degree colleges are being established under the RUSA scheme.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan: The Minister of Education who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the starred question was raised.
Scheduled Castes: A group considered for prioritization in focus districts under PMUSHA.
Scheduled Tribes: A group considered for prioritization in focus districts under PMUSHA.
Other Backward Classes: A group considered for prioritization in focus districts under PMUSHA.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 18
ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
MODEL DEGREE COLLEGES IN EDUCATIONALLY BACKWARD DISTRICTS
*18. Shri Malaiyarasan D:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any steps for setting up of 374 model degree
colleges in educationally backward districts across the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the criteria for selecting educationally backward districts for the establishment of
degree colleges;
(d) the details of the number of such districts identified in the State of Tamil Nadu;
(e) the budget allocation for establishment of such degree colleges in educationally
backward districts of Tamil Nadu and the timeline for completion; and
(f) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure quality education and adequate
infrastructure in these newly set up institutions?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (f) A statement is laid on the table of the House
****
1STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (F) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 18 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 ASKED BY SHRI
MALAIYARASAN D, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING MODEL
DEGREE COLLEGES IN EDUCATIONALLY BACKWARD DISTRICTS
(a) to (f): Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) 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. Under PM-USHA, 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). All the 615 units under PM-USHA
have been approved in various States /UTs with a total amount of Rs. 8178.71 Crore
under various components.
In the State of Tamil Nadu, under RUSA, a total of 99 projects with a total central
support of Rs.526 crore have been approved under various components, out of which
85 projects have already been completed, so far, as per the information furnished by
the State.
The budget allocation of the State of Tamil Nadu for the FY 2025-26 is Rs. 25.5 Crore,
towards meeting the committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA.
****
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