Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Hindustan Times
Context: Six universities in Uttar Pradesh have each been awarded ₹100 crore in funding under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme, aimed at developing these institutions as multi-disciplinary education and research universities (MERUs).
- The funding aims to upgrade laboratories, modernize classrooms, foster innovation hubs, and promote interdisciplinary research, thereby improving the quality of higher education and making it more inclusive for women, minorities, SC/ST/OBCs, and special-abled persons.
- The initiative reflects a significant investment in India’s educational infrastructure, aiming to elevate the nation’s knowledge landscape and ensure higher education opportunities for socially disadvantaged communities.
The Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme is a National Education Policy RUSA scheme that aims to strengthen higher education institutions in India. The scheme has two phases, with the first launched in 2013 and the second in 2018.
