Higher education in the country in STEM – Track2training

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to transform and improve the quality of education in the country and provide an inclusive, fair and high quality education standard, empowering learners for the future and contributing to national development. NEP 2020 also promotes research and innovations by higher education institutes (EIS) by creating start -up incubation centers; technological development centers; centers in the fields of border research; more academic links of industry; and interdisciplinary research, including research in human and social sciences.

In alignment with NEP 2020, the Ministry of Education has taken several initiatives to improve the quality of education in EIS.

The government of India also provides financial support to the governments of the States within the framework of the Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan (Rusa) / Pradhan Mantri Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA) in the context of three components, namely “to improve quality and excellence in selected state universities”, “infrastructure universities” improvement in higher education.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), a statutory organization of the Ministry of Education, grants the approval of the conduct of courses in technical education at the level of diploma, first cycle and graduate to technical institutions, institutions deemed of universities and autonomous institutions. To improve the quality of technical education, AICTE has taken several measures, in particular:

• Program programs have been developed in fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, space technology, electronic engineering (VLSI design and technology), robotics and artificial intelligence, etc. The representation due to the stakeholders in the industry is ensured in the revision committees of the curriculum.

• Memorandums of understanding (Mou) with the main industries and organizations have been signed to facilitate the internship, skills and update of students and teachers.

• Training lines emission for technical courses. The internship is a compulsory component of the model program issued by AICTE for different courses. These directives provide a full -time or part -time internship.

• University mobility framework of the industry launched by AICTE to facilitate the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical application, facilitating collaboration between the university world and industry. In addition, it provides for managers for the partnership of the Academy Industry, encouraging mutually beneficial commitments that enrich both parties.

(b) (d) the government has taken various measures to promote the accessibility and affordability of higher education in the country.

The Ministry of Education launched the Swayam (Study Webs of Active-learning for Young Aspiring Minds) portal in July 2017 to make the contents of high quality available to learners for free with the approach of “anyone, anywhere, at any time of learning”. The portal has more than 5.1 crimes of registration since its creation.

The Ministry of Education launched Prime Minister Vidyalaxmi, a new program in the central sector on November 6, 2025, to ensure that no student comes to the possibility of pursuing higher education due to financial constraints. As part of the program, an education loan without guarantee and no guarantor is granted to all students, including students, who obtain admission to merit in higher quality education establishments (QHEIS) and who wish to benefit from the educational loan. In addition, for students with an annual family income up to 8 Lakh, the scheme offers an interest in 3% interest on loans up to 10 lakhs. Until a lakh of students fees, obtaining any other scholarship or subsidy of interest on the educational loan will obtain this sub-convention of interest.

The University Subsidian Commission (UGC) offers scholarships as part of the “National Stock Exchange for Post Graduate Studies (NSPG) program to students who pursue post-divipped programs. The UGC also provides scholarships to continue the doctorate. In all disciplines, including STEM education, as part of the UGC Net-Junior Research Stock Exchange and the Savitribai Jyoti Rao Phule Single Girl Child FellowShip.

In order to improve female registration in undergraduate programs in Indian Technology Institutes (IIT) and National Institutes of Technology (NIT), supernumerary seats have been created, which increased female registration from less than 10% to more than 20%.

In addition, Indian Technology Instituts (IIT) and National Institutes of Technology (NIT) also provide 100% exemption from tuition fees for SC / ST / PWD undergraduate students. In addition, the most back -up students on the economic level (whose family income is less than RS.1.00 LAKH per year) obtain a complete discount of costs and other economically arrears students with a family income between RS.1.00 LAKH to RS.5.00 LAKH obtain a 2/3 fee.

The national credit framework (NCRF) has been developed as a complete framework for accumulation and transfer of credit encompassing elementary education, school, superior and professional. The NCRF incorporates the credential of learning in various dimensions, that is to say academics, professional skills and experiential learning, including relevant experience and skills / levels acquired. The NCRF provides for the credential of all learning and assignments, accumulation, storage, transfer and reimbursement of credits, subject to the evaluation; Removes distinction and establishes academic equivalence between vocational and general education while allowing mobility inside and between them.

The University Gushing Committee (UGC) has formulated guidelines for the introduction of EIS learning study programs to provide practical exposure during the study program to improve the skills of graduates.

In order to increase the employability of students / learners, the Ministry of Education provides learning through “National training learning learning (NATS)”, which is a flagship program of the government of India, for training and skills during the employment of Indian young people. It is implemented by the Ministry of Education through four regional learning / practical training training councils (boats / bopt) located in Mumbai, Kanpur, Chennai and Kolkata. As part of the scheme, apprenticeship and training are given to new graduates, diploma holders and diploma apprentices. The minimum allowance prescribed for apprentices of diplomas / diplomas is Rs 9,000 per month and for apprentice technicians / diplomas is 8,000 rupees per month. The government of India provides 50% of the minimum feed prescribed for apprentices. The Ministry of Education launched the Nats 2.0 portal to bring students, industry and EIS to a single platform. Thanks to the NATS 2.0 portal, the government began to pay its share from the allowance via the mechanism for the transfer of direct services (DBT). In the past 5 years, more than 8.72 Lakh apprentices have been benefited from Nats by total financial assistance of Rs 1298 crores for an allowance. In 2025-25, the program benefited 4.82 LAKH students to date by financial aid of more than RS 729.

To promote the research ecosystem in the country, in accordance with the 2018-19 budgetary announcement, the government had approved the Prime Minister's research program (PMRF) with total financial expenses from Rs. 1650.00 CR. The program was aimed at attracting the best tightest minds to pursue high -quality research in the first university establishments in India with improved financial support. Under the first phase of PMRF, 3688 researchers are admitted. The first phase of the PMRF led to better research results and, therefore, 10,000 scholarships were announced as part of the PMRF in the 2025-26 budget for technological research with improved financial support.

The government has approved the creation of three centers of excellence (COE) in artificial intelligence (AI); one in the fields of health, sustainable cities and agriculture; With a total financial expenditure of RS. 990.00 CR over the period for the financial year 2025-24 at the financial year 2027-28.

42 institutions financed in the center, including 8 central universities, 7 IIT and 8 IIM have been added in the last ten years from 2014 to 2025.