RUSA COMMITTEE

The Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA), a centrally sponsored programme, aims to work with 300-plus state universities and its affiliated colleges to raise the bar of campus life.

Launched in 2013, the RUSA aims at 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) is based on norms and is outcome dependent.

Funds flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions. Funding to states would be made on the basis of the critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which would enlist each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

RUSA places greater emphasis on the improvement of the quality of teaching-learning processes in order to produce employable and competitive graduates, post-graduates and PhDs.

The State of Kerala joined RUSA on 30/10/13 by committing to bring reforms in Higher Education in the state. It has appeared in the 6th and 9th PAB Meetings held on 6/11/14; and 27/3/15 The total fund approved for the state by PAB is 128 cr comprising of 76.8cr central share and 51.2 cr as the state share.

The key objectives of RUSA are to improve access, equity and quality in higher education through planned development of higher education at the state level. Objectives include creating new academic institutions, expanding and upgrading the existing ones, developing institutions that are self-reliant in terms of quality education, professionally managed, and characterized by greater inclination towards research and provide students with education that is relevant to them as well the nation as a whole.