In an effort to uplift the higher education sector, the Department of Higher Education of the HRD Ministry has released a five-year plan named Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP). Following the directive of the Prime Minister, the EQUIP aims to revamp tertiary education through this comprehensive blueprint set to be implemented from 2019 to 2024. The tenets of the EQUIP have been put forth by ten Expert Groups, comprising esteemed academicians, administrators, and industrialists. Through more than 50 initiatives, the programme endeavors to bridge the gap between policy and implementation.
The Ten Goals of EQUIP
One of the fundamental aspects of the EQUIP is the establishment of ten goals intended to revolutionize India’s higher education. These include amending access strategies to double the Gross Enrolment Ratio and balancing the access to higher education institutions across geographical and social sections. Aiming for global standards, the plan also targets improvements in teaching/learning processes along with positioning at least 50 Indian institutions among the top-1000 global universities.
Governance reforms and assessment, accreditation, and ranking systems are also in the spotlight. All institutions will be accredited as an assurance of quality. Promotion of research and innovation features prominently too, with the ambitious objective of positioning India within the Top-3 countries worldwide in knowledge creation.
The program also seeks to double the employability of students graduating from higher education and utilize technology to extend reach and enhance pedagogy. An internationalization scheme is also in place to promote India as a global study destination. Finally, the plan also aims to substantially increase investment in higher education.
Fact Table: Key Initiatives of EQUIP
| Initiatve | Description |
|---|---|
| Solving Access Issues | Doubling the Gross Enrolment Ratio and addressing geographically and socially skewed access to higher education institutions |
| Global Standards | Upgrading education quality to meet global standards |
| Promotion of Research & Innovation | Positioning India within the top-3 knowledge creating countries in the world |
| Employability & Entrepreneurship | Doubling the employability of students graduating from higher education institutions |
| Financing Higher Education | Substantially raising investment in higher education |
About the Financing Agency: HEFA
The programme’s financing relies on extra-budgetary resources from the marketplace, in addition to the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). Formed in 2017 as a joint venture between MHRD and Canara Bank, HEFA has the primary role of financing the creation of capital assets in premier educational institutions in India. This Union Government company has recently expanded its scope to cover school education and institutes under the Ministry of Health.