New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) India’s higher education network has expanded significantly over the decade, with the number of universities increasing from 760 in 2014–15 to 1,289 in 2023–24, representing a growth of 69.6 per cent, an official survey indicated on Sunday.
According to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), conducted annually by the Ministry of Education, the number of colleges rose from 38,498 in 2014-15 to 48,246 in 2023-24, an increase of 25.3 per cent.
The annual survey that provides a comprehensive evidence base on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country also showed that during the past decade the number of standalone institutions increased from 12,276 to 15,221, registering about 24 per cent growth.
This expansion of higher education network reflects a widening institutional base and greater capacity to serve learners across the country, an official statement said.
It has strengthened the reach of higher education, supported broader participation, and contributed to building a more accessible, diverse, and inclusive knowledge ecosystem for India’s future, it added.
Higher education is a cornerstone of India’s journey towards a knowledge-based economy and a key pillar of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
The policy envisions an education system that promotes holistic, multidisciplinary learning and advances the goals of SDG 4.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, the statement said.
While shedding light on the increasing student enrolment over the decade, the survey showed that higher education enrolment in India has grown 31.5 per cent from 3.42 crore students in 2014–15 to 4.5 crore in 2023–24.
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, reflecting a growing access to and participation in higher education, supporting NEP 2020’s target of raising the GER to 50 per cent by 2035, the statement said.
The survey showed that Gender Parity Index (GPI) in higher education improved significantly, rising from 0.92 in 2014–15 to 1.08 in 2023–24.
The 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, the statement said.
The survey also indicated that 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 around 11.5 per cent over the period, the statement added.
The growth reflects expanding institutional capacity and sustained student interest in STEM disciplines, driven by government initiatives, digital technologies, innovation, research, and employment opportunities strengthening India’s knowledge economy, it said.
–IANS
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