Javadekar launches portal to keep tab on grants to colleges

In a bid to keep a tab on grants to different colleges, universities for infrastructural developments, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has come up with a robust mechanism christened as Fund & Reform Tracker portal that will act as a one-stop information gateway for higher education plans, decisions and information on resources of states.

The portal, which is under the ambit of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), is aimed at providing central funding to state higher education departments and institutions for achieving the broad objectives of access, equity and excellence.

"In the past three years Rs 2,800 crore has been granted to various colleges and universities for quality enhancement under the scheme and Rs 1,300 crore has been earmarked in the budget for this year. Our government's priority is to improve quality of both primary and higher education," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said while launching the portal on Monday.

The HRD Minister also launched the solar power facility in Shree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kerala. The launch was followed by a meeting of the HRD Minister with Education Ministers from 12 states, secretaries and RUSA nodal officers regarding implementation of the scheme.

According to a senior HRD official, over 2,000 state universities and colleges have been supported under the scheme so far. "Given the commitments made by the states under RUSA on removal of ban on recruitment and filling up of vacant positions, many states have started the process of filling faculty positions," the official said.

Besides, a cluster university in Jammu and Kashmir and language laboratories in Jharkhand's Ghatsila College were among the 17 projects launched by the minister.