Kerala has secured a significant funding of ₹405 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), a scheme designed to support higher education institutions.
This includes ₹100 crore each for Kerala, Calicut and Kannur universities under the Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU) component, while Mahatma Gandhi University is set to receive ₹20 crore under the Grants to Strengthen Universities (GSU) component.
Additionally, 11 colleges will each receive ₹5 crore under the Grants to Strengthen Colleges (GSC) component, while the districts of Palakkad, Thrissur, and Wayanad have been allocated ₹10 crore each for gender inclusion and equity initiatives. This component will fund construction of women’s hostels for college and university students in these districts as well as initiatives such as sensitisation workshops focussing on women, minorities, marginalised communities, and specially abled people in higher education.
The State government had submitted proposals and presentations to secure the funding, which will be shared on a 60:40 basis between the Central and State governments, with Kerala contributing 40% of the cost.
PM-USHA had effectively replaced the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). The State had received ₹194 crore under RUSA 1 and ₹366 crore under RUSA 2.
Initially, Kerala, like many other non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled States, had expressed reservations about onboarding the scheme due to concerns over the requirement to adopt the National Education Policy 2020. States were required to sign an undertaking agreeing to implement the NEP 2020 to avail itself of the funds under the Central flagship scheme.
However, the government eventually agreed to the Centre’s condition, albeit with objections regarding certain “impractical” proposals outlined in the Central policy.
Published – December 21, 2024 07:12 pm IST