NITI Aayog recognises over 50 best standards in Tamil Nadu higher education

CHENNAI: The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has identified a set of over fifty best practices in the Tamil Nadu higher education administration, which is described as the best among southern states, under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a centrally sponsored scheme.

Providing the NITI Aayog's recent data, a senior official from the higher education department, noted that the best practices adopted by the Tamil Nadu government are closely aligned with RUSA's objectives such as greater investment in higher education infrastructure, better administration practices for higher education and greater higher education contribution to state economic output.

"Similarly, the State has recorded an increase in the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) greater than the national average, increase in number of SC and ST students, ensuring access to abroad programmes, establishment of soft skill centres, specialised academic care for slow learners, supporting minor research project and student mini project," he said, adding, "the State has also fared well in establishing university-business collaboration centres and developing networked digital library system".

Claiming that under RUSA 1.0, which began in 2018, an amount of Rs 374 crore was approved for the State, the official said that upon witnessing the successful implementation of the first phase in Tamil Nadu, the Centre has approved Rs 496.92 crore under RUSA 2.0 to support 22 beneficiary institutions under various components.

"Likewise, the State has also performed well in the areas of organic farming and entrepreneurial initiatives. Six universities -- Anna University, Annamalai University, Bharathidasan University, Bharathiar University, Madurai Kamaraj University and the University of Madras received Rs 184.88 crore under the "Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement" component within RUSA.

The official also claimed that officials from corporate sectors, renowned academicians and industrialists have been delivering lectures through a series of online sessions to create awareness about the RUSA scheme to students. "This initiative helped more than 86,000 students across Tamil Nadu to benefit from the valuable experience of these resource persons," he added.

The main objective of the scheme is to enhance access, equity and quality in higher education through planned strategies for development at the State level. The major stakeholders in this scheme are State universities and government Arts and Science colleges.