EQUIP project

Topic covered:

1. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

EQUIP project

What to study?

For prelims and mains: key features, need for and significance of the project.

Context: The Higher Education Department of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has finalized and released a 5-year Vision Plan titled as Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP).

Key features:

EQUIP was crafted by ten committees led by experts within the government.

Aims: EQUIP is meant to bridge the gap between policy and implementation. The project is made to bring transformation in the higher education system in the upcoming 5 years.

Goals set for Higher Education Sector by Expert Group are:

1. Doubling Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and resolving geographically and socially skewed access to higher education institutions in India.
2. Promoting India as a global study destination.
3. Upgrade Quality of Education to global standards.
4. Positioning minimum 50 Indian institutions among Top-1000 Global Universities.
5. Promote Research & Innovation ecosystems for positioning India in Top-3 countries globally in matters of knowledge creation.
6. Introducing governance reforms in higher education for well-administered campuses.
7. Accreditation of all institutions for assurance of quality.
8. Doubling employability of students passing out of higher education.
9. Harnessing education technology for expanding reach and improving pedagogy (method and practise of teaching).
10. Achieving a quantum increase in investment in higher education.

Sources: the Hindu.