New Model Degree Colleges under RUSA : A Boon to Educationally Backward Regions

Abstract

Education is a subject in the concurrent list of the Indian constitution. Therefore, improving the accessibility, equity and quality of education is the combined responsibility of both the central and state governments. Accordingly, the central government has implemented a number of educational schemes for supporting the state governments in improving the quality of education. Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is one such ambitious scheme of the then Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. It was launched in 2013 during XII Plan period whose aim was to achieve “faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth”. RUSA scheme is mainly designed to promote access, equity, and quality in the higher education sector. Based on Census 2001, 374 districts in the country have been identified Educationally Backward Districts (EBDs). They were having Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education lower than the national average of 12.4 per cent. In January 2018, the Aspirational Districts Program (ADP) was launched. It aims to quickly and effectively transform 117 most under-developed districts across the country. The ranking is given based on 5 broad socio-economic themes including Education. In order to enhance GER in higher education under RUSA 1.0 in EBDs and under RUSA 2.0 in aspirational districts a component was dedicated for the establishment of New Model Degree Colleges (NMDCs). As a result, under RUSA 1.0 and RUSA 2.0, 45 and 93 NMDCs were established in various states and 06 in Union Territories of the country. 1646.12 Crores was dedicated to establish 138 NMDCs. Under RUSA 1.0 and RUSA 2.0. Rs. 56 Crores was dedicated to establish 06 NMDCs in Union Territories under RUSA 1.0 and RUSA 2.0. But they were not evenly distributed across the country. Also, even after a decade of the implementation of RUSA scheme the GER and quality of Higher Education in backward districts is very low. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to throw light on the efforts of the Central Government enhance access, equity and excellence in backward districts by establishing New Model Degree Colleges established under RUSA 1.0 and 2.0 in Educationally Backward Districts and Aspirational Districts respectively. It is also intended to give suggestions for the effective implementation of upcoming RUSA 3.0. This paper is based on secondary data. Keywords: RUSA, Educationally Backward Districts, Aspirational Districts, New Model Degree Colleges