Edu-leaders

The Central Government has introduced a new scheme that provides central assistance to the extent of one-third of the capital cost for setting up of a model degree college in each of the identified 374 educationally backward district where Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education is less than the national GER.  The cost for the set up of each college shall be limited to Rs 26.7 million.

According to the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, D. Purandeswari, for special category states (i.e. all North-Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), the central share shall be 50 percent of the capital cost limited to Rs 40 million for each college.

During the remaining period of the 11th Five Year Plan, 200 model colleges in identified districts will be established. In this case, priority would be given to special category states and districts having concentration of weaker sections and minorities as well as other districts falling under Schedules V and VI.

Those colleges which have been set up on or after 1st January, 2008 in identified districts shall also be eligible to be covered under this scheme, subject to the guidelines laid down by the University Grants Commission in respect of model colleges.