UP Governor and Anandiben Patel, and  Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya held a meeting to review the higher education and outcomes of national and international ranking (NAAC, NIRF, QS) of states' universities. The meeting objective was to elaborate and implement the changes in NEP 2020 in reference to higher education.

The agenda of the meeting includes the main concerns of enhancing the university ranking, promoting quality research, and increasing students’ attendance at the college level, and a strict time frame for examination holding to the results.

Both governors discuss the impact of the PM-USHA scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) is a centrally sponsored scheme for higher education in states to improve the standard of institutes, aligning with NEP 2020.

Comparing the national and international rankings, the spokesperson informed that the nine universities located in Uttar Pradesh received “A+Plus” ratings, the 3 universities obtained “A+” ratings, five were graded “A”, and the two universities received “B+Plus” ratings in the evaluations of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). 

The Six Universities receive category-1 status

Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) awarded Category 1 status to six state universities, mostly located in Uttar Pradesh. Thus, these institutions have been allowed to get lots of funding from the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme.

Under the PM Usha scheme, the six universities get Rs 100 crore each, and eight universities get Rs 20 crore to improve the research quality and infrastructure.

The statement further revealed that the officials from the Assam Governor's Secretariat also came up with a comprehensive presentation of the projects and the creative ideas being implemented in the higher education sector of Assam.