Education Minister Asks Officials To Draw Up Plan To Increase Gross Enrollment Ratio In Higher Education
The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has asked education officials to formulate a plan to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher educational institutes to 50 per cent by 2035.
The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has asked education officials to formulate a plan to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher educational institutes to 50 per cent by 2035.
While addressing a meeting with higher educational officials to discuss the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a scheme launched by the Union government in 2013 to provide funding for the development of higher education in India, Mr Pokhriyal said that the Institutes and the administration must focus on encouraging more students to pursue higher education in the country. Secretary, Higher Education Amit Khare allso attended the meeting.
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The Union Education Minister not only focussed on ensuring higher education reaches students but also on providing skills that enhance employability to youth so that they are able to work as per the industry standards and add to the overall workforce.
Chaired a meeting of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA). @EduMinOfIndia officials to draw plans on educating additional 3.5 cr students to increase GER to 50% by 2035. A total of 7 cr students with employable skills should pass out from our colleges & Universities. pic.twitter.com/pvaLUt6Cs9
— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) March 1, 2021
Setting a target for the officials and the administration, he said: “A total of 7 Crore students with employable skills should pass out from our colleges and universities”.
Talking on the same lines, Mr Pokhriyal then talked about the plan of “One district, one product”. Under this, the government has aimed at generating local employment via education. To do the same, he suggested including degree colleges to help in providing education and specific courses to the students that would ensure employment generation and employability of the students.
He further said that the University Grants Commission (UGC) will monitor the progress of work done by Institutions which received funding under RUSA Scheme. The Minister will review the RUSA Scheme in every three months.
The centre has allocated Rs 3,000 crore under the RUSA this year in the General Budget 2021, through which it supports higher education institutions under the state governments and union territories.
Even though the overall education budget has been reduced by Rs 6,086.69 crores – from Rs 99,311 crores in 2020-21 financial year to Rs 93,224.31 crores in 2021-22, RUSA saw a significant increase in allocation.
