Background Note for The Mid-Term Appraisal of The XIth Five Year Plan

Abstract

From Overview: Higher education is of vital importance for the country, as it is a powerful tool to build knowledge-based society of the 21st Century. Improvement of access along with equity and excellence, the adoption of state-specific strategies, enhancing the relevance of higher education through curriculum reforms, vocationalisation, networking and information technology and distance education are some of the main policy initiatives of the higher education sector. The other important policy initiatives in higher education are programmes for general development of universities and colleges; special grants for the construction of hostels for women; scholarships to students, scheme to provide interest subsidy on educational loans for professional courses to ensure that nobody is denied professional education because he or she is poor and making interventions to attract and retain talent in the teaching profession in the higher and technical education- Emphasis has been laid on expansion with equity, use of ICT and promotion of quality education.