KU gets ₹100-crore grant from Centre under RUSA

:In a major boost to the fund-starved Kurukshetra University (KU), the Union ministry of human resource development (HRD) has approved a financial assistance of Rs 100 crore under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme.

This is being considered as a major achievement of the university, which had also bagged A+ Grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and was included in Category 1 in the HRD ministry’s list of top-ranking universities.

In March this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had also accorded full autonomy to KU in recognition of its high academic standards.

Talking to Hindustan Times, KU vice-chancellor Dr Kailash Chandra Sharma said these funds will help the university to improve the quality of education, research invention, faculty, infrastructure and provide better facilities to students. The university had received a grant of Rs 20 crore under RUSA last year.

The VC, who has completed his two years in office on March 30, said this much-needed grant would also be used to upgrade laboratories, libraries, purchase of equipments and renovation of classrooms.

Officials said the university, which was facing shortage of funds, had submitted a proposal of Rs 162 crore to the HRD ministry.

Notably, the KU is also planning to improve its financial condition with the help of its alumni. “We are working on this plan too. Funds from our former students will also help the university to deal with shortage of funds”, the VC said.

Officials told HT that the university was finding it difficult to meet its expenditure, which is around Rs 350 crore, including Rs 150 crore on establishment, even as the state government has increased its grant to Rs 98 crore.

THE CASHSTARVED VARSITY HAS BEEN PLANNING TO IMPROVE ITS FINANCIAL CONDITION WITH THE HELP OF ITS ALUMNI