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Min Read
According to the Ministry of Education’s All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 report, total enrolment in higher education in the country increased from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to 4.50 crore in 2023-24. This represents a 31.5 per cent increase over the decade. Meanwhile, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education increased from 23.7 per cent to 30 per cent. This reflects progress towards the target of achieving a 50 per cent GER by 2035.
Significant Increase in the Number of Higher Education Institutions
India’s higher education institutional framework has also expanded rapidly. In 2014-15, the number of universities in the country stood at 760, which increased to 1,289 in 2023-24. During this period, the number of universities registered a 69.6 per cent growth.
During the same period, the number of colleges increased from 38,498 to 48,246, while the number of standalone higher education institutions increased from 12,276 to 15,221. This expansion has helped increase access to higher education across different parts of the country and provided students with more institutional options.
Female Enrolment Growth Outpaces Overall Growth
One of the most significant changes in the higher education sector has been the increasing participation of women. Female enrolment increased from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.24 crore in 2023-24. This represents a 42.2 per cent increase in female enrolment over the decade, significantly higher than the 31.5 per cent growth in total student enrolment.
The female Gross Enrolment Ratio also increased from 22.9 per cent to 31.2 per cent. Meanwhile, the male GER stood at 28.9 per cent. In 2023-24, the Gender Parity Index (GPI) in higher education stood at 1.08, remaining above one for the seventh consecutive year. This indicates that female participation in higher education has remained higher than male participation.
Participation of SC, ST and OBC Students Increases
Participation of socially disadvantaged groups in higher education has also improved. In 2023-24, enrolment of SC students reached 69.72 lakh, while ST enrolment stood at 28.83 lakh and OBC enrolment reached 1.80 crore.
Compared with 2014-15, SC student enrolment increased by 51.4 per cent, ST enrolment by 75.7 per cent and OBC enrolment by 60.2 per cent. The GER among SC students increased from 18.9 per cent to 27.8 per cent, while the GER among ST students increased from 13.5 per cent to 22.8 per cent.
Growing Participation in STEM Education and Research
Student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines has also increased. Total STEM enrolment rose from 91.5 lakh in 2014-15 to 1.02 crore in 2023-24. Notably, the share of female students in STEM also increased from 38.4 per cent to 44 per cent.
Research education has also witnessed significant expansion. PhD enrolment increased from 1.17 lakh to 3.43 lakh, representing a growth of approximately 193 per cent. This indicates growing interest in research and advanced studies in higher education.
Teaching Workforce and Education Infrastructure Strengthen
The number of teachers in higher education institutions has also increased. In 2023-24, the country had a total of 17.32 lakh teachers, including around 7.78 lakh female teachers. The number of female teachers has increased significantly compared with 2014-15.
Overall, the AISHE data shows that India’s higher education system has expanded not only in terms of institutions and student numbers, but also in female participation, social inclusion, STEM education, research and teaching capacity. These trends reflect significant progress towards the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 to build a more inclusive, multidisciplinary and future-ready higher education system.
