Lok Sabha Question No. 1119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-08
Subject: Higher Education Institutions  opened in the Country
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOKSABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1119 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2021

## Higher Education Institutions opened in the Country

## † 1119. KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- a) the number of new higher educational institutions opened in the country during the last ten years;
- b) whether it is fact that in the draft of New Education Policy released in the year 2019, it was estimated that the proper implementation of the policy proposals requires budgetary allocation of education to be increased by 10 per cent each year for the next 10 years, but growth in budget 2020-21 is less than even five per cent over the previous year;
- c) if so, the reasons therefor; and
- d) the steps taken/are being taken by the Government to improve the standard of education?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a): The opening of higher education institutions is under the purview of Centre and State governments and the concerned regulatory bodies. Under the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), information of newly opened higher educational institutions are not being collected and maintained. However, the number of higher educational institutions registered on AISHE portal in the country for the survey purpose during last ten years is as follows:

| Year                      |   2019 |   2018 |   2017 |   2016 |   2015 |   2014 |   2013 |   2012 |   2011 |   2010 |
|---------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Total no. of Institutions |  55165 |  51649 |  49964 |  52559 |  51793 |  51534 |  49021 |  47757 |  46620 |  44690 |

(b)&(c): National Education Policy (NEP) has since been announced on 29 th July 2020 which stated that policy commits to significantly raising educational investment, as there is no better investment towards a society's future than the high-quality education of our young people. In order to attain the goal of education with excellence and the corresponding multitude of benefits to this Nation and its economy, this Policy unequivocally endorses and envisions a substantial increase in public investment in education both by the Central government and all State Governments. The Centre and States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.

(d): As per the NEP 2020, the steps taken/are being taken by the Government to improve the standard of education are as follows:

- I. Single overarching umbrella body for promotion of higher education sector including teacher education and excluding medical and legal education- the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
- II. National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS). In the Union Budget 2021, over Rs.3,000 crore has been announced for providing post-education apprenticeship, training of graduates and diploma holders in Engineering under this Scheme
- III. Holistic Multidisciplinary Education with multiple entry/exit options.
- IV. Establishment of Academic Bank of Credit.
- V. Setting up of Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs).
- VI. Setting up of National Research Foundation (NRF). An outlay of Rs.50,000 crore over 5 years has been announced in the Union Budget 2021. It will ensure that the overall research ecosystem of the country is strengthened with focus on identified national-priority thrust areas.
- VII. Expansion of open and distance learning to increase GER.
- VIII. Internationalization of Education.
- IX. Professional Education will be an integral part of the higher education system.
- X. Establishing a National Mission for Mentoring.
- XI. Creation of the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
- XII. Multiple mechanisms with checks and balances will combat and stop the commercialization of higher education.
- XIII. Strengthening of the Central Advisory Board of Education to ensure coordination to bring overall focus on quality education.
- XIV. A proposal for setting up a Central University in Leh has been announced in the Union Budget 2021 for accessible higher education in Ladakh.
- XV. A new Initiative-National Language Translation Mission (NTLM) to enable the wealth of governance-and-policy related knowledge on the Internet being made available in major Indian languages has been announced in the Union Budget 2021

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