The Union Cabinet approved the second phase of the PM-SHRI Universities scheme on September 15, 2026, sanctioning ₹22,000 crore to upgrade 50 central universities and 100 state universities into globally competitive institutions by 2030. The move builds directly on findings from the newly reviewed NEP 2020 Six-Year Implementation Report.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting under the Ministry of Education’s charge. The PM-SHRI Universities scheme extends the government’s earlier PM-SHRI schools initiative into higher education, targeting curriculum modernisation, faculty development, research infrastructure and digital learning tools across the 150 selected institutions over the next four years.
What Does the ₹22,000 Crore PM-SHRI Universities Package Fund?
The outlay will be split across infrastructure upgrades, research grants, faculty training and technology adoption at the 150 selected universities. Officials say funding will be released in tranches tied to institutional performance benchmarks, including NAAC accreditation scores, research output and graduate employability outcomes. Central universities are expected to receive the first tranche within this financial year, with state universities following once individual state governments sign implementation agreements with the Ministry of Education. Roughly 40 percent of the outlay is earmarked for research infrastructure and laboratory upgrades, officials indicated, with the remainder split between digital infrastructure, faculty development and campus modernisation.
How Does This Connect to the NEP 2020 Six-Year Review?
The Cabinet simultaneously reviewed the NEP 2020 Six-Year Implementation Report, which found gains in gross enrolment ratio and multidisciplinary course adoption but flagged persistent gaps in research funding and industry linkages at public universities. The PM-SHRI Universities scheme is positioned as the direct policy response to that gap, with a mandate to raise India’s university research output and align degree programmes with NEP 2020’s four-year undergraduate framework and multiple entry-exit provisions. The Ministry has set a target of doubling sponsored research funding at the 150 institutions by 2030.
Market and Trade Reaction
Education sector stocks and ed-tech firms saw modest gains following the announcement, with analysts noting the outlay could open new vendor contracts for campus digitisation, laboratory equipment and skilling platforms. Industry bodies including CII and FICCI welcomed the scheme, saying stronger research infrastructure at public universities would help close India’s talent gap in emerging sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and clean energy manufacturing, all identified as national priority areas in recent industrial policy.
What Happens Next?
The Ministry of Education is expected to notify the final list of 150 selected universities and release detailed implementation guidelines within the next quarter. States will need to formally opt in through a memorandum of understanding before their universities can access the state-university tranche of funding. A progress review has been slated for the 2027 Union Budget session, when the first tranche disbursement figures will be made public.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM-SHRI Universities scheme?
It is a Ministry of Education initiative to upgrade 50 central and 100 state universities into globally competitive institutions by 2030, backed by a ₹22,000 crore outlay the Union Cabinet approved on September 15, 2026.
Which universities are eligible for PM-SHRI Universities funding?
Central universities are automatically eligible, while state universities must be nominated by their state government and sign an implementation agreement with the Ministry of Education to access funds.
How does the PM-SHRI Universities scheme relate to NEP 2020?
The scheme implements recommendations from the NEP 2020 Six-Year Implementation Report, addressing research funding and industry-linkage gaps identified in that review at public universities across India.
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