Mumbai: The state’s higher and technical education department has floated a proposal of Rs 6,000 crore to improve research infrastructure across public universities and govt institutions, such as VJTI, and College of Engineering Pune. Drawn on the lines of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme, the proposal for this scheme, termed as CM-USHA, will be directed towards modernising laboratories and libraries.
As per the proposal, funding will be provided separately for each specific project, rather than as a fixed or ongoing amount, said an official.
The proposal, aligned with the long-term benefits envisioned under Viksit Maharashtra, has been already shared with the finance department for consideration.
The industry is often reluctant to hire graduates who lack hands-on exposure to the equipment currently in use. Govt institutions need infrastructure upgrades to provide real shop-floor experience. Many private institutions are able to offer such exposure through investments in research facilities,” said an official. If approved, the proposal is expected to significantly improve placements in the long run, he said.
Govt institutions in state do well in the National Institutional Ranking Framework and therefore, need to be encouraged, said another official. As part of the initiative, the department is planning to tie up with IIT-Bombay and seek their help to modernise laboratories in state institutions.
A professor from a govt institution said they have been getting equipment with help from funding through corporate social responsibility. “We also have some centres of excellence where we regularly upgrade research infrastructure. But what our students are exposed to is no match to the exposure that students from IITs and NITs get. These days, most industry equipment is AI-enabled, and therefore, the ones we have are naturally outdated,” said the professor.
