Higher education enrolment in India grows to 4.50 crore in a decade, female participation surges

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Higher education enrolment in India has risen steadily in a decade, growing 31.5 per cent from 3.42 crore students in 2014–15 to 4.50 crore in 2023–24, an official factsheet said on Sunday.

The gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education rose from 23.7 per cent in 2014–15 to 29.5 per cent in 2022–23, and further to 30 per cent in 2023–24.

This steady increase reflects growing access to and participation in higher education, supporting NEP 2020’s target of raising the GER to 50 per cent by 2035, the official statement said.

The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), conducted annually by the Ministry of Education, provides a comprehensive evidence base on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country.

According to AISHE reports, India’s higher education network has expanded significantly over the decade.

The number of universities increased from 760 in 2014–15 to 1,289 in 2023–24, representing a growth of 69.6 per cent. The number of colleges rose from 38,498 to 48,246, an increase of 25.3 per cent.

Standalone institutions increased from 12,276 to 15,221, registering about 24 per cent growth.

Female enrolment in higher education has witnessed steady growth over the past decade.

It grew by 42.2 per cent, rising from 1.57 crore in 2014–15 to 2.24 crore in 2023–24, outpacing the growth in total enrolment during the decade.

Notably, Gender Parity Index (GPI) in higher education improved significantly, rising from 0.92 in 2014–15 to 1.08 in 2023–24. GPI for the SC category increased from 0.91 to 1.11, while ST category GPI rose from 0.81 to 1.08 during the same period.

The rising GPI points to increasing parity favouring females. The progress highlights the impact of government initiatives in promoting equity, inclusion, and balanced participation in higher education, said the factsheet.

The share of SC enrolment rose from 13.44 per cent in 2014–15 to 15.5 per cent in 2023–24 in total enrolment. During the same period, the share of ST enrolment increased from 4.8 per cent to 6.4 per cent.

OBC participation climbed from 32.8 per cent to 40.1 per cent, registering the largest increase in enrolment share among all social categories.

According to the factsheet, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) enrolments in higher education have increased steadily over the past decade. Total enrolments increased from 91.5 lakh in 2014–15 to 1.02 crore in 2023–24, representing an overall increase of approximately 11.5 per cent over the period.

—IANS

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