Union Cabinet Approves Budgetary Support for MERITE Scheme

Current Context: On August 8, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the MERITE Scheme—Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education—with a total outlay of ₹4,200 crore, including ₹2,100 crore from the World Bank.

• The scheme will be implemented from 2025 to 2030, targeting 275 government and aided institutions, including 175 engineering colleges and 100 polytechnics across all states and union territories.
• MERITE aims to enhance quality, equity, and governance in technical education through digitalisation, multidisciplinary learning, and skill-based curricula.
• It will also promote industry-academia collaboration, improve infrastructure, and support faculty development.
• Around 7.5 lakh students are expected to benefit, boosting employability and innovation.

The initiative aligns with the goals of NEP 2020 and Atmanirbhar Bharat.’

Question:

Q.1 Which international organisation is contributing ₹2,100 crore to the Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education (MERITE) Scheme?
a) Asian Development Bank (ADB)
b) World Bank (WB)
c) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
d) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Answer: b) Half of MERITE’s funding is from the World Bank, showing global collaboration in India’s technical education reform.