Cabinet Approves Rs 4,200 Crore Outlay To Support 275 Engineering And Polytechnics Institutions

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved Rs 4,200-crore outlay for implementation of the ‘Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education’ (MERITE) Scheme. The government plans to implement the scheme in 175 engineering and 100 polytechnic institutions in five years.

Out of the Rs 4,200-crore outlay, there will be an external assistance of Rs 2,100 crore from the World Bank as loan. The government expects the scheme to help 7.5 lakh students.

The objective of the scheme is to improve the quality, equity and governance in technical education by implementing interventions aligned with the National Educational Policy-2020.

Among the 275 institutions will be selected National Institutes of Technology, State Engineering Institutions, Polytechnics and Affiliating Technical Universities. Apart from this, the State or Union Territory departments handling technical education sector will also be supported through MERITE scheme.

It will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme and will have the facility of funds transfer from the Central Government to participating entities through a Central Nodal Agency.

Eminent educational institutions like the IITs and IIMs and regulatory bodies in the higher education sector such as the AICTE, NBA etc. will also play a significant role in the scheme implementation. 

The initiative emphasises enhancing students' skills to improve their employability through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach. Among other benefits the scheme will include offering internship opportunities, updating curricula to align with industry requirements, organising faculty development programs, and setting up research hubs.

Additionally, support will be provided to incubation and innovation centers, skill and maker labs, and language workshops.