Government Schemes and Initiatives for Higher Education and Research

The Higher Education and Research sector in India forms the cornerstone of knowledge creation, skill development, and economic growth. Driven by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Ministry of Education along with allied agencies has instituted major reforms, funding mechanisms, and research schemes. These interventions focus on expanding Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), promoting multidisciplinary research, building advanced physical and digital infrastructure, and strengthening industry-academia partnerships.

Structural Governance and Institutional Quality Schemes

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyaan (PM-USHA)

PM-USHA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at improving access, equity, and excellence in state higher education institutions. Replaced Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), it prioritizes unserved and underserved areas, focusing on Gender Inclusion Funds, ICT usage, and accredited institutions. State universities receive grants for multidisciplinary education, research upgrades, and infrastructure development.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and NAAC

Launched in 2015, NIRF outlines a methodology to rank higher educational institutions across parameters like Teaching, Learning & Resources, Research & Professional Practice, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach & Inclusivity, and Perception. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) evaluates institutions to grant accreditation grades. NAAC transitioned toward a binary accreditation system (“Accredited” or “Not Accredited”) along with maturity-based levels to minimize subjectivity.

Institutions of Eminence (IoE) Scheme

The IoE initiative selects 20 institutions (10 public and 10 private) to empower them as world-class teaching and research institutions. Public IoEs receive financial assistance up to ₹1,000 crore over five years, along with complete academic, administrative, and financial autonomy to hire foreign faculty, enroll international students, and enter global collaborations.

Research Frameworks and Global Diaspora Partnerships

Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme

Launched by the Department of Higher Education, the PMRC Scheme connects global Indian-origin researchers, scientists, and professionals with top-ranked domestic institutions. It embeds experienced talent into premier higher education institutions (HEIs) and national laboratories across 13 strategic thematic domains, including Advanced Computing, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Energy & Sustainability.

Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme

PMRF offers direct Ph.D. admissions to high-performing students from IITs, IISc, NITs, and select central universities into doctoral programs at top institutes. It provides attractive monthly stipends alongside a contingency research grant of ₹2 lakh per annum for five years to encourage advanced technical research.

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

Established under the ANRF Act 2023, the foundation acts as an apex body to seed, grow, and promote R&D across universities and colleges. It bridges the gap between basic research and real-world industrial deployment by mobilizing private sector investments and establishing competitive research funding frameworks.

Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives

Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)

SPARC improves the research ecosystem of Indian HEIs by facilitating joint research projects and human capacity building between Indian institutions and top global universities. IIT Kharagpur serves as the national coordinating institution for SPARC.

Imprint (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology)

IMPRINT is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and Department of Science & Technology. It addresses major engineering and technological challenges by translating baseline academic research into viable products across 10 strategic technical domains.

STARS and IMPRESS

• STARS (Scheme for Transformational and Advanced Research in Sciences): Coordinated by IISc Bengaluru, STARS funds basic science projects across disciplines like physics, chemistry, biology, and data science.
• IMPRESS (Impactful Policy Research in Social Science): Executed by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), IMPRESS provides competitive grants for evidence-based social science research in areas like state governance, rural development, and economic growth.

Financial Inclusivity, Digital Infrastructure, and Access

PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme

Launched as a Central Sector Scheme, PM Vidyalaxmi ensures that financial constraints do not block access to higher education. It provides collateral-free and guarantor-free education loans to students securing merit-based admission in top-tier Quality Higher Education Institutions (QHEIs). For families earning up to ₹8 lakh annually, the scheme offers a 3% interest subvention on loans up to ₹10 lakh.

One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)

ONOS provides nationwide access to top international scholarly journals and research papers for students and faculties across eligible higher education and public R&D institutions. The centralized access model reduces individual journal subscription costs for universities while broadening research access.

Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA)

HEFA operates as a joint venture between the Ministry of Education and Canara Bank. It provides non-bank financial assistance through long-term capital loans to Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) to finance modern laboratory setups, research centers, and hostel facilities.

Digital Platforms: SWAYAM and SWAYAM Plus

SWAYAM provides online courses from high school to post-graduate levels free of cost. The multilingual SWAYAM Plus platform partners with industry leaders to offer sector-aligned, skill-based certification courses that integrate directly into academic credit transfer frameworks.

Key Higher Education and Research Initiatives

Important Facts for Quick Revision

• The National Education Policy 2020 targets increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) replaced the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).
• IIT Kharagpur acts as the national coordinating institute for the SPARC scheme.
• The PMRC Scheme targets 13 critical areas, including AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, critical minerals, and space technologies.
• Under PM Vidyalaxmi, education loans are provided without third-party guarantors or security collaterals for students entering recognized QHEIs.
• Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) is registered as a Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking NBFC with the Reserve Bank of India.
• The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative covers access to thousands of peer-reviewed journals from international scientific publishers.
• IMPRINT addresses technical challenges across 10 domains, ranging from healthcare to energy security.
• NAAC operates as an autonomous institution under the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquartered in Bengaluru.
• The National Credit Framework (NCrF) facilitates credit accumulation and transfer between vocational skills and formal academic streams.