What happened: Ministry of Education answers on UGC funding, RUSA/PM-USHA, and higher-education regulation
The Ministry of Education, through a Rajya Sabha written reply by Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar, provided figures for funds released to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and UGC expenditure from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The reply also described the financing logic of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), its successor phase as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), and clarified UGC’s post-RUSA approach for state universities. Finally, the reply connected higher-education regulation to the National Education Policy (NEP) “light but tight” idea and referenced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025.
UGC funds released and UGC expenditure (2021-22 to 2025-26)
The Ministry provided the following totals (Rs. in crore) for funds released to UGC and UGC expenditure for 2021-22 to 2025-26:
2021-22: Fund released 13,839.43; Expenditure 13,606.522022-23: Fund released 16,859.87; Expenditure 16,080.552023-24: Fund released 19,054.74; Expenditure 18,676.312024-25: Fund released 19,770.47; Expenditure 19,742.072025-26: Fund released 20,527.43; Expenditure 20,507.48
Where UGC money went: Central Universities and deemed-to-be Universities
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