MUMBAI: Maharashtra has bagged the second-largest share of funds for improving the quality of its autonomous colleges. Eight institutes from Mumbai have been selected to get Rs 5 crore each to improve overall excellence on campus. These are: St Xavier’s, Sophia, Mithibhai, B K Birla, Ruia, SIES, Jai Hind and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil colleges.In all 29 colleges nationwide will receive the quality enhancement grant, of which 10 are from Maharashtra. The decision was taken on Monday at the 14th Project Approval Board that met in the evening. Tamil Nadu has the highest, with 17 colleges. There is one college each in Bihar and West Bengal.The colleges will get the RUSA ( Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan ) excellence tag apart from funds. Colleges will have to submit a detailed plan on what they will do to improve quality. Institutes had applied for funds under the challenge level funding programme.The infused money will have to be utilised within 18 months. The action plan to be submitted must detail how the college proposes to take the institution to the next level while complying with UGC regulations on autonomy.“Autonomy and excellence will get a huge boost with these funds. It is hoped that colleges will draw up robust and exhaustive plans on how they will utilise the grant and improve academics, their administration and provide students with better facilities. Colleges are also expected to meet the faculty strength requirement,” said B Venkatesh Kumar, national co-ordinator of the RUSA scheme. They need to have a minimum 70% of permanent faculty filled.At Ramnarain Ruia College , the grant will be used for improving teaching, learning and evaluation. Principal Anushree Lokur said, “We plan to improve our teaching, learning and evaluation methods. We have already started a bit of on-screen assessment and plan to improve on that, as also better our infrastructure and research.”The other colleges in the state include Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, Pune and Yashvantrao Chavan Institute of Science, Satara.Mithibai College’s principal Rajpal Hande said the college plans to develop a comprehensive learner-based system. “We want to implement skill development programmes, exam reforms and upgrade our academic systems,” he said.

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