Higher Education Enrolment Rises as Female Growth Tops 42%

HIGHER EDUCATION ENROLMENT RISES; FEMALE PARTICIPATION CROSSES 42% GROWTH

Why in the News?

  • AISHE Reports Released: The Union Education Ministry released the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2022-23 and 2023-24, highlighting significant improvements in enrolment, inclusivity, and gender parity.
  • Key Highlight: Female enrolment in higher education has increased by 42.2% since 2014-15, while total enrolment has reached 4.5 crore students.

HIGHER EDUCATION TRENDS IN INDIA

  • Enrolment Growth: Total higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore (2014-15) to 4.50 crore (2023-24), registering a 31.5% growth, reflecting expanding access to tertiary education and strategic alignment with global educational standards amid strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • Gender Progress: Female enrolment rose from 1.57 crore to 2.24 crore, while the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remained above 1.0 for the seventh consecutive year, indicating higher female participation than males.
  • Improved Access: Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) increased from 23.7 to 30.0, with female GER reaching 31.2, surpassing the national average and reflecting greater educational inclusion through regional economic integration initiatives.
  • Social Inclusion: Enrolment among Scheduled Castes increased by 51.4%, Scheduled Tribes by 75.7%, and Other Backward Classes by 60.2%, demonstrating broader participation of historically disadvantaged communities.
  • STEM Expansion: STEM enrolment crossed 1.02 crore, with women’s share increasing from 38.4% to 44%, indicating greater representation in science and technology disciplines crucial for India’s Indo-Pacific strategy and maintaining competitiveness vis-à-vis US and China in technological advancement.

Higher Education Enrolment Rises as Female Growth Tops 42%

ALL INDIA SURVEY ON HIGHER EDUCATION (AISHE)

  • Launch: AISHE was initiated by the Ministry of Education in 2011 to build a comprehensive database on India’s higher education sector.
  • Coverage: The survey collects institution-level data from universities, colleges, and standalone institutions on enrolment, faculty, infrastructure, finances, examinations, and outcomes.
  • Data Collection: Institutions voluntarily submit data through a web-based portal, supported by validation and scrutiny mechanisms to improve data reliability.
  • Key Indicators: AISHE measures indicators such as Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), Gender Parity Index (GPI), Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR), and social group-wise participation to evaluate educational progress.
  • Policy Utility: The survey provides evidence for planning, resource allocation, implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and monitoring progress towards SDG 4 (Quality Education).

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (NEP), 2020

●  Vision: NEP 2020 seeks to transform India’s education system by promoting equity, quality, multidisciplinary learning, flexibility, research, and employability across all educational levels, aligning with India’s Indo-Pacific strategy to enhance human capital development and strengthen strategic partnerships through educational excellence.

●  Higher Education Target: It aims to raise the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035, significantly expanding access and participation while positioning India competitively in the context of strategic competition with major powers including US and China, and supporting ASEAN centrality through educational collaboration.

●  Institutional Reforms: The policy promotes multidisciplinary universities, academic flexibility through the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), and the Multiple Entry and Exit framework, facilitating Indo-Pacific strategy objectives through enhanced educational mobility and Quad partnership in knowledge sharing.

●  Research Promotion: It proposes establishing the National Research Foundation (NRF) to strengthen research, innovation, and collaboration across higher education institutions, supporting India’s Indo-Pacific strategy through technological advancement and strategic competition in research and development.

●  UPSC Relevance: Important for GS Paper II – Education, Human Resource Development, Social Justice, Inclusive Growth, and Governance.