THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government has approved the Kerala State Higher Education Council’s higher education plan for the 12th Plan period. The plan will be submitted to the Centre’s Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) Mission Authority for assessment and final approval.
According to KSHEC Member Secretary P Anvar, projects which entail financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1283.35 crore have been prepared. Along with the expenses for Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MMER), the total amount will come up to Rs 1338.84 core, he said. The annual plan for 2014-15 fiscal is pegged at Rs 375 crore.
While Rs 442.52 crore has been proposed as the RUSA allocation for 2015-16, KSHEC expects a grant of Rs 465.83 crore for 2016-17.
With RUSA becoming the nodal agency for disbursement of Central assistance to the higher education sector, state higher education councils are mandated to prepare their own five-year plans.
These plans should be submitted to the Centre in order to avail of 65 per cent assistance.
The key initiatives proposed in the Higher Education Plan are creation of new universities by converting cluster colleges, providing infrastructure grants for universities, setting up four model colleges in backward districts and upgradation of six degree colleges into model degree colleges, Anvar said.
Providing infrastructure grants to 64 arts and science colleges, engineering colleges and polytechnics in the government sector, encouraging research innovation and quality improvement and creation of a faculty training academy are the other major projects.
Creation of the Kerala Assessment and Accreditation Council (KSAAC) with financial support of the Centre and setting up a research university are other projects lined up during the 12th Plan period, Anvar said.