HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told Lok Sabha that 200 New Universities and a degree college in each district of India will be opened in the next five years. He said “We have asked for Rs.20,000 crore for opening new universities in the 12th Plan.
In addition to new institutions, many of the existing colleges will be upgraded either into universities or autonomous colleges having powers to award degrees. The budget for revitalizing the higher education will be Rs.80,000 crore, the budget ever allocation for higher education.
A large amount of this money will be awarded to state government to improve higher education in rural areas. This, by increasing the Central Government share in higher education funding to the states. As of now, the centre shares just 35% of the cost of starting a new higher education institution. In the 12th Plan (2012-17), Sibal said, the government proposes to increase the central share to 65% and 90% for the north-eastern states.
On School education in 12th Plan, MHRD has set a 100% retention rate at the primary level of school education. According to school data for the year 2010, the retention rate is about 74% at the primary level. It means, opening of new schools in rural areas and better access to schools for girls and other socially deprived sections such as scheduled castes and schedule tribes.