Launched the unique portal and mobile app of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a body under the aegis of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Portal and App

• The portal is a one-stop for States’ Higher Education Plans, decision of the States’Higher Education Councils and details of the resources under this scheme.
• Also, the gallery is a rich repository of the projects initiated under RUSA.
• The mobile application will ensure that all projects under RUSA are tracked 24×7.

About Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS),
• Providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.
• The central funding (in the ratio of 60:40 for general category States, 90:10 for special category states and 100% for union territories)
• The funding would flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions.
• The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which would describe each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

Objective of RUSA

• Improve the overall quality of state institutions.
• Usher transformative reforms in the state higher education system.
• Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination systems.
• Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions.
• Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in unserved & underserved areas.
• Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes; promote inclusion of women, minorities, and differently abled persons.

Besides MHRD launched the Fund and Reform Tracker developed by Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

• It will monitor RUSA projects from the minute they are sanctioned and track their progress till their final completion.
• The Reform Tracker will be a sort of a report card of states with details of their higher education policies, plans and best practices.
• These have largely been reflected in their commitment given to the central government.

Source : Pib, mhrd

GS III : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources