Haryana Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the OP Jindal Global University (JGU) to draft the State Higher Educational Plan under the Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyaan (RUSA).

Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) Vijai Vardhan and JGU Vice Chancellor Raj Kumar signed the MoU here on Sunday in the presence of Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma.

Under the MoU, a comprehensive State level Higher Education Plan for the next 10 years would be prepared and reviewed after five years. This plan would indicate the physical targets and budgetary estimates in accordance with approved pattern of assistance under Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).s

This would be a comprehensive plan highlighting the sunshine areas, the targets, opportunities and proposals for quality improvement, etc.

Speaking on the occasion, the Education Minister said that ensuring quality higher education has become a challenge for the entire country. The Indian education system has always been focused on values and culture. India’s Nalanda and Takshashila and Santiniketan Universities have been recognised amongst the most ancient universities of the world and these came into existence before the establishment of Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Sharma said that this MoU has been signed in order to ensure quality higher education and promote research.

The Minister said that to promote higher education in the State, online admissions to government colleges were conducted for the first time in Haryana, and girls are provided free education up to graduate level.

Vijai Vardhan said that under the new national education policy, every State has to prepare a policy for the next 10 years and send it to the Central Government under the RUSA.

Giving further details, he said that the State Government was moving ahead in this direction with the assistance of the OP Jindal Global University under the MoU. He added that the policy has to be prepared by February 29, 2016, and three two-day workshops would be conducted at Sonipat, Delhi and Chandigarh for this purpose. Vice-Chancellors of Universities, academicians and researchers would be invited to participate in these workshops.

Vardhan added that Haryana is one of the leaders in terms of higher education. While the Gross Enrollment Rate in the country stands at 19 per cent, Haryana has a Gross Enrollment Rate of 29 per cent, whereas under the new national education policy, the Central Government has set a target of 32 per cent.

He said that at the time of its inception in 1966, there was only one University in Haryana, but now the State has 43 Universities.