Lok Sabha Question No. 2097 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-02
Subject: Gross Enrolment Ratio
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2097 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2019

## GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO

## 2097. SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)      the current Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of higher education in India;
- (b)    whether it is higher or lower in comparison to neighbouring countries like China and if so, the reasons therefor ; and
- (c)     the steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve upon the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education and details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a):      As  per  All  India  Survey  on  Higher  Education  (AISHE),  2018-19  the  current  Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of Higher Education in India is 26.3.
- (b):    The  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  (GER)  of  higher  education  in  India  in  comparison  to neighbouring countries like China and others, is as follows:-

| Countries   |   Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) |   Year |
|-------------|-------------------------------|--------|
| China       |                         50.6  |   2018 |
| India       |                         28.06 |   2018 |
| Afghanistan |                          9.68 |   2018 |
| Bangladesh  |                         20.5  |   2018 |
| Bhutan      |                         15.5  |   2018 |
| Nepal       |                         12.41 |   2018 |
| Sri Lanka   |                         19.63 |   2018 |
| Pakistan    |                          9.08 |   2018 |

Source: Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  (GER)  of  higher  education  is  calculated  by  Unesco  Institute  for Statistics (UIS) for the age group of 18-22 years whereas AISHE calculates GER for the age group  18-23  years  due  to  which  there  is  difference  in  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  of  higher education in India as calculated by UIS & AISHE.

Main  reason  for  low  GER  as  compared  to  China  and  other  Developed  Countries  is  low transition  rate of students from  senior  secondary  to higher  education  system,  in addition  to issues of geographical and socio-economic disparities.

(c):  The Government has taken following steps to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education :

( i)  Issuing  of  new  UGC  regulation  for  Open  and  Distance  Learning  that  allows  entry  of reputed institutions to offer education on the distance mode.

(ii)  Use  of  ICT  technology-  SWAYAM  portal  to  take  the  best  teaching  resources  to  all, including the most disadvantaged

(iii) Opening of more centrally funded institutions.

(iv)  Encouraging  opening  of  institutions  by  State  Governments  through  the  Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which aims to achieve equity, access and excellence in higher education. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to  universities,  clustering  colleges  to  establish  a  university,  setting  up  of  new  professional colleges  in  un-served  and  underserved  areas  as  well  as  providing  infrastructure  grants  to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.

(v) More scholarship programmes to supplement the cost of education.

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