Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli - 620 024
Tamil Nadu, India

About RUSA

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in 2013 aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. The funding, in the ratio of 60 : 40 (Central: State Governments) for general category States, would be norm based and outcome dependent. The funding would flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories to the identified institutions. The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which would describe each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

RUSA 1.0 (COMPONENT 3 : INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO UNIVERSITY)

RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) PHASE I - MHRD, Government of India has sanctioned Rs.20 crore to the Bharathidasan University for the holistic and infrastructural development under Infrastructure Grants to Universities. The funds have been utilized for the holistic developments such as 500 kWp Ground Mounted Grid Interactive Solar park, Combined Cauvery Water Scheme, Construction of Tennis Court complex, E-governance, Central Instrumentation laboratory building, Hostel, Library Books, Journals and E-Resources at Bharathidasan University. Research & Innovation and quality improvement (R & I): RUSA has sanctioned a collaborative research project entitled "Sustainable Energy Technologies - Efficient renewable energy power generation with energy storage for sustainable smart grid" (Rs. 150 lakh) under component 8 (Research and Innovation). RUSA has released 1st instalment of Rs. 75.00 Lakhs for the year 2016-2017 to Bharathidasan University for the implementation of project with the joint objectives of "Materials Design and Development toward the fabrication of solar cells to achieve higher efficiency". In this proposal, Department of Physics, Bharathidasan University is the nodal centre.

RUSA 2.0 (COMPONENT 10: RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT)

RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) PHASE II (http://rusa.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/draft-guidelines.pdf ) - During the current plan period, Bharathidasan University is among the 20 State Universities who have been supported under Component 10: Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement. The 12th PAB meeting of the Project Approval Board has approved Rs. 50 Crore (http://rusa.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Agenda-for-12th-PAB-Meeting_24.05-13.30-Final.pdf). Out of the total approval grants, Rs. 15 Crore was earmarked for the establishment of “Entrepreneurship and Career Hub” in Bharathidasan University to promote career opportunities, skill development, incubation and facilitation of technology start-up companies. Remaining Rs.35 Crore is allotted for the thematic research support in university departments. This is project-based funding with focus on theoretical/empirical and applied R&D to foster innovation and evidence-based policy in certain areas of national priorities. The DPR for Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement have been submitted.

Entrepreneurship and Career Hub - Bharathidasan University

February 3, 2019, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri. Narendra Modi has digitally launched the Entrepreneurship and Career Hub.

The objectives of the Hub are:

  • To gather information on students enrolled in various programmes and prepare profiles of students.
  • To gather information on career and job avenues, and placements in different institutions and concerns related to the programs that the University and other educational institution in the region offer.
  • To analyze information in the local, regional and national contexts to explore its relevance and utility for the students in their careers, placements and on-job-training.
  • To organize programmes, seminars and guidance workshops for informing students about the emerging professional trends and events, career options, job profiles, leadership roles, entrepreneurship, market needs and risks and implementation of national socio-economic policies and to impart training in soft skills.
  • To promote entrepreneurship and risk taking, and support it through incubation.
  • To promote healthy outlook and positive attitudes towards nation building.

Solar Park - Bharathidasan University

Among the various renewable energy resources, solar energy has the highest potential in the country as the sun radiates an enormous amount of energy with the annual average radiation of 2200 kWh/m2. The photovoltaic has long been considered one of the most viable energy sources and a path to independence from fossil fuels. It radiates more energy per day than the world uses in a year. In view of the ongoing efforts of the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu Government and various agencies for promoting solar energy, Bharathidasan University has also undertaken an exercise of installation and commissioning of 1 MW solar park to meet the energy demand of our campus as a green initiative. In the first phase, Bharathidasan University has installed 500 kWp solar park in the main campus and a 100 kWp roof top solar panel in the city campus.

A grid interactive 500 kWp Solar PV Power Plant at the main campus of Bharathidasan University has been installed and commissioned by BHEL, Electronic Division-Bangalore at a total cost of Rs. 4.85 crore. A solar panel comprises monocrystalline Si wafers module with a total power of 310 watt power, 24 V.

A 500 kWp Ground Mounted Grid Interactive solar park at our university generates ~ 2300 units (kwh) electricity per day with an average of 69,000 units per month. Our solar initiative in our campus substantially reduces ~Rs. 5.5 lakhs of our energy bill per month.

Technical Details of the Solar Park

Solar PV capacity 500 kWp Ground Mounted Grid Interactive
Electricity generation capacity 2500 units per day
Solar array details 1620 Nos. L24270, 310 Wp Solar PV modules
Present energy production ~ 2300 kWh (units) per day
Reduced cost of electricity bill ~ Rs.5.5 lakh per month
The above project is partly funded by MHRD, Government of India under RUSA.

Board of Governors

Chairperson Vice-Chancellor Committee
Bharathidasan University
Ex-officio Dr. R. Kalidasan
Registrar (Full Time Additional In-Charge)
Bharathidasan University
Member Coordinator Dr. V. Ravikumar
Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, Bharathidasan University
Members Dr. P. Natarajamurthy
Director i/c, Bharathidasan University Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Career Hub (BECH), Bharathidasan University