RUSA

On 18th December 2013, Prof. (Dr.) Sri Krishan Yadav, Head, Applied Sciences & Humanities Department of Dronacharya College Of Engineering, Gurgaon attended a one-day National Conference on Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education Institutions jointly organized by Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) at Hotel Le-Meridian, New Delhi.

RUSA is a centrally sponsored scheme proposed by Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), Govt. of India, New Delhi with a mission to bring in various reforms in the Higher Education System in the country. This scheme will spread over two five year plans i.e. 2012-17 and 2017-22. RUSA believes on key principles of performance based development, improvement in teaching learning quality, critical thinking and research.

The Conference aimed to provide a platform to the Vice-Chancellors, senior functionaries of the Government and heads of different apex agencies of education, statutory bodies to discuss on the challenges, implications andmodalities before implementation of the scheme with special emphasis on the importance of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in India.

The conference started with the presidential address by Prof. D.S Chauhan, Secretary General, AIU followed by the welcome address delivered by Shri Vinay Rai, Chairman National Council on Education, ASSOCHAM. Addressing more than 120 participants, Prof. Chauhan said that education has evolved over the years; from closed walls to correspondence courses and then to online learning. The advent of advanced technology and the subsequent birth of e-learning have paved the path for a revolutionary and futuristic form of higher education i.e. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Shri Vinay Rai expressed that MOOC provides interactive user forums that enable them in building a community for students, academics and teaching assistants.

During the first session, the eminent academicians and experts Dr. Amarendra Pani, Head, Research Division. AIU; Prof. Shyam Menon, Vice Chancellor, Dr. B R Ambedkar University, Delhi; Sri Chaitanya Prasad, IAS, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Mark, New Delhi; Prof. Ranbir Singh, Vice Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi, Shri R.P Sisodia, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, GOI, Dr. Jayanti Ravi, IAS, Commissioner, Commissionerate of Technical Education, Government of Gujarat shared their views on Strategies of Planning, Capacity Building, its processes and approval etc.

Other distinguished panelists Shri Ashok Thakur, IAS, Secretary, Govt. of India, MHRD, New Delhi; Prof. P B Sharma, Vice Chancellor, DTU, Delhi; Shri Pawan Agarwal, IAS, Adviser, Planning Commission, New Delhi; Prof. Santosh Panda, Chairman, NCTE, enlightened the participants on the Pragmatic and Financial Norms of Various Components of RUSA Scheme. They explained that RUSA aims to have a new approach towards funding higher education in state Universities and colleges through state councils for higher education, an idea mooted in the National Policy on higher education, 1986. It conveyed that RUSA believes in the key principles of performance based funding and rely upon a management information system to gather the essential information from institutions.

The distinguished academicians, bureaucrats laid special emphasis on performance based funding to the universities and colleges, linkage with states, universities and colleges for the purpose of funding, setting up of accreditation agency by each state for monitoring quality education; autonomy with accountability; eligibility of grants to the accredited institutions only; recognition under Section 2f and 12 B of UGC Act, 1956.

The conference was useful as the attendees understood the importance of quality education with sharper focus on equity based development, inculcating new approaches to teaching- learning pedagogies, innovation, creativity, quality research and accreditation etc.