- Geographical distances will be eliminated: Modern education is reaching from forest areas to cities.
- Vishnu Prasad Verma
- Assistant Director
A new era has dawned in Chhattisgarh’s higher education sector. Among the series of major approvals and gifts received from the central government between 2014 and 2026, the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) is proving to be a boon for the state. The central government has approved substantial financial grants for the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), improved National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grading of colleges and universities, and the development of quality infrastructure along with research. This scheme is a refined and more advanced version of the earlier Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).
- Received ‘mega budget’ for infrastructure development
A total of ₹12,926.10 crore has been allocated nationwide under this scheme. Chhattisgarh has received a significant portion of this massive budget. Under the scheme, selected eligible government universities in Chhattisgarh are receiving substantial grants ranging from ₹20 crore to ₹100 crore per institution under the Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU) program. Project-based grants of up to ₹5 crore are being approved for infrastructure strengthening for identified government colleges. This financial burden is being shared by the central and state governments in a 60:40 ratio (60% central and 40% state).
- Plan on the ground: Construction of smart classrooms and modern labs underway
In Chhattisgarh, this scheme is not limited to paper, but is progressing rapidly on the ground. The Higher Education Department of the Chhattisgarh government has already executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Government. Currently, selected colleges are preparing and uploading detailed project reports (DPRs) to the portal. Additionally, construction of state-of-the-art infrastructure, such as smart classrooms, modern labs, and computer centers, is progressing rapidly in educational institutions across the state. All 33 districts, from
Bastar
The most significant aspect of the PM-USHA scheme is its inclusiveness. All 33 districts of Chhattisgarh are benefiting from this project. The scheme specifically prioritizes government colleges in tribal-dominated areas and remote regions, such as Bastar and Surguja divisions, areas with low gross enrollment ratios (GER), and aspirational districts such as Dhamtari, Gariaband, and Mahasamund, to bring these areas lagging behind in the development race into the mainstream.
- Flights to the dreams of more than 5 lakh students
This visionary project is directly benefiting over 500,000 students studying in various government educational institutions across the state. The greatest beneficiaries of this scheme are students from rural areas, Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and women. Now, youth from Chhattisgarh’s forest regions and remote villages are also gaining access to world-class modern education and research facilities within their own state, laying a strong foundation for their bright future.