Parliament Question: Multi-disciplinary Education and Research University

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3970 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 Multi-disciplinary Education and Research University

3970. Shri Arun Bharti:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION

be pleased to state:

(a) the progress made on establishment of Multi-disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020;

(b) the details of the locations identified and the funds allocated for setting up these universities; and

(c) the timeline by which these MERUs are expected to become operational and the role they are expected to play in promoting holistic and multi-disciplinary education? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c): In alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Government has launched the third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in June 2023 in the form of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore, including the committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. Under the Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities

(MERU) component of PM-USHA, 35 Universities have been approved for a total amount of Rs. 100 crore each. The State-wise details of MERUs approved are at Annexure.

Under MERU component, the Universities in respective States/ UTs are expected to undertake various mandatory activities such as (i) implementation of National Credit Framework (NCrF) and Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and implementation of elective course system; (ii) adoption of Academic Bank of Credits; (iii) using Online Distance Learning (ODL) and Online Programmes such as SWAYAM/MOOCS; (iv) courses in Indian Languages; (v) embedding Indian knowledge System (IKS) in the Curriculum; (vi) bridge courses for socially and economically disadvantaged students;

(vii) Vocational courses for 21st century skills, Internships/Training, etc. towards achieving higher levels of access, equity, and excellence and promoting holistic and multi-disciplinary education. *****ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (C) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3970 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 ASKED BY SHRI ARUN BHARTI, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING MULTI- DISCIPLINARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH UNIVERSITY State-wise details of Multi-disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) approved under Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) S. No. State District University Total Amount Approved (Rs. in Cr.) 1 Andhra Chittoor Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visva 100.00 Pradesh Vidyalayam, Tirupathi 2 Assam Dibrugarh Dibrugarh University, 100.00 Dibrugarh 3 Bihar Darbhanga Lalit Narayan Mithila 100.00 University, Darbhanga 4 Bihar Patna Patna University, Patna 100.00 5 Chhattisgarh Bastar Shaheed Mahendra Karma 100.00 Vishwavidyalaya, Jagdalpur 6 Goa North Goa Goa University, Goa 99.99 7 Gujarat Rajkot Saurashtra University, Rajkot 100.00 8 Gujarat Surat Veer Narmad South Gujarat 100.00 University, Surat 9 Himachal Shimla Himachal Pradesh University, 100.00 Pradesh Shimla 10 Jharkhand Hazaribagh Vinoba Bhave University, 99.78 Hazaribagh 11 Karnataka Belagavi Rani Channamma University, 100.00 Belagavi 12 Karnataka Bengaluru Bangalore University, 100.00 Urban Bangalore 13 Kerala Kannur Kannur University 100.00 14 Kerala Malappuram University of Calicut, 100.00 Malappuram 15 Kerala Thiruvanantha University of Kerala 100.00 puram 16 Madhya Bhopal Barkatullah University, 100.00 Pradesh Bhopal 17 Madhya Gwalior Jiwaji University, Gwalior 100.00 Pradesh 18 Madhya Ujjain Vikram University, Ujjain 100.00 PradeshS. No. State District University Total Amount Approved (Rs. in Cr.) 19 Maharashtra Chhatrapati Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar 100.00 Sambhajinagar Marathwada University,

(Aurangabad) Aurangabad 20 Maharashtra Gadchiroli Gondwana University, 100.00 Gadchiroli 21 Maharashtra Mumbai Smt. Nathibai Damodar 100.00 Thackersey Women's Univeristy, Mumbai 22 Maharashtra Solapur Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar 100.00 Solapur University, Solapur 23 Odisha Cuttack Ravenshaw University, 100.00 Cuttack 24 Odisha Ganjam Berhampur University, 100.00 Berhampur 25 Odisha Mayurbhanj Maharaja Sriram Chandra 100.00 Bhanja Deo University 26 Odisha Sambalpur Sambalpur University, 100.00 Sambalpur 27 Rajasthan Jodhpur Jai Narain Vyas University, 100.00 Jodhpur 28 Telangana Mahbubnagar Palamuru University, 100.00 Mahabubnagar 29 Uttar Ayodhya Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia 100.00 Pradesh Awadh University, Faizabad 30 Uttar Bareilly Mahatama Jyotiba Phule 100.00 Pradesh Rohikhand University, Bareilly 31 Uttar Gorakhpur Deen Dayal Upadhyay 100.00 Pradesh Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur 32 Uttar Jhansi Bundelkhand University, 100.00 Pradesh Jhansi 33 Uttar Lucknow University of Lucknow 100.00 Pradesh 34 Uttar Meerut Chaudhary Charan Singh 100.00 Pradesh University, Meerut 35 Uttarakhand Nainital Kumaun University, Nainital 100.00 *****