Lok Sabha Question No. 931 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: GER in Higher Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Thiru D M Kathir Anand, Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-931

ANSWERED ON-29/07/2024

## GER IN HIGHER EDUCATION

## 931 SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY: THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the current Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education at the national level, Statewise;
- (b) the gender-wise distribution of enrolment in higher educational institutions;
- (c) the details of the availability of scholarships and financial assistance programmes to promote higher education accessibility;
- (d) the measures taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to increase GER and improve access to higher education, particularly in underserved regions;
- (e) whether the Government has taken appropriate steps for improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in the country and released adequate funds for the same;
- (f) if so, the details of the GER achieved, State-wise having the Population of 4 crores and above; and
- (g) whether the Government has sanctioned any funds to incentivise States like Tamil Nadu that achieved higher rates of GER and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR )

- (a) As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of Higher Education at the national level for 2021-22, is 28.4. The details of the State/UT-wise GER, is available at https://www.education.gov.in/parl\_ques .
- (b)  As  per  AISHE  2021-22,  the  total  Student  Enrolment  in  Higher  Education  Institutions (HEIs) is 4.33 Crore, out of which Female Student Enrolment is 2.07 Crore and Male Student

Enrolment is 2.26 Crore. The Female GER is 28.5 in 2021-22 higher than the male GER of 28.3 in 2021-22. Female GER continues to be more than male GER for fifth consecutive year since 2017-18.

(c) Government is implementing various Scholarships and Fellowships for providing financial assistance to students, including SC/ST/OBC and Minorities, details of which are available in the following websites:

|   Sl. No. | Ministry/Department                       | Website links                                                                         |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Department of Higher Education            | https://www.education.gov.in/pm-usp- scholarships-education-loan                      |
|         2 | University Grants Commission              | https://frg.ugc.ac.in                                                                 |
|         3 | All India Council for Technical Education | https://www.aicte- india.org/bureaus/rifd/Scholarship-Schemes                         |
|         4 | Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment  | https://socialjustice.gov.in/scheme-cat                                               |
|         5 | Ministry of Tribal Affairs                | https://tribal.nic.in/ScholarshiP.aspx                                                |
|         6 | Ministry of Minority Affairs              | https://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in/show_conten t.php?lang=1&level=2&ls_id=669&lid=825 |

(d)  &  (e)  Education  is  in  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and  majority  of  the  Higher Education  Institutions  are  in  the  domain  of  the  respective  States.  The  States  and  Centre endeavour  to  uplift  the  educational  status  of  the  students  of  the  country,  especially  the disadvantaged communities. Government has taken various measures to increase the GER in Higher Education, which inter-alia include: -

- i. Opening  of  more  HEIs:-  The  number  of  Universities/University  level  Institutions registered under AISHE have increased to 1168 in 2021-22 from 760 in 2014-15 and number of Colleges have increased to 45473 in 2021-22 from 38498 in 2014-15.
- ii. Implementing  various  Scholarship  and  Fellowship  schemes  for  providing  financial assistance to students, including for SC/ST/OBC  and  Minority students and underserved regions.
- iii. Allowing well performing HEIs (based on NAAC and NIRF ranking) by University Grants Commission (UGC) to offer full Open Distance Learning/Online Programmes based on quality parameters.
- iv. Providing much-needed flexibility and appropriate Exit as well Re-entry options in the Higher Education system, to facilitate students to choose their learning trajectory.
- v. Providing  anytime,  anywhere  learning  opportunities  for  all  learners  through  Study Webs for Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) platform, which provides high quality structured online courses in multiple disciplines.
- vi. Conducting JEE, NEET (UG) and Common University Entrance Test (CUET) Exams in  13  languages,  to  facilitate  students  and  making  available  Text  Books  in  Indian Languages to facilitate students, particularly from vernacular/rural background.

In this regard, the Central Government has increased Budget allocation of Ministry of Education (MoE) from Rs. 93,224.31 Crore for the year 2021-22, to Rs. 1,04,277.72 Crore for the year 2022-23 to Rs. 1,12,899.47 Crore for the year 2023-24 and Rs. 1,21,117.87 Crores in the year 2024-25 for various activities of the Ministry.

The initiatives of the Government have resulted in increase of GER to 28.4 in 2021-22 from 23.7 in 2014-15.

(f) The State-wise details of GER are given in part (a).

(g) The National Education policy offers opportunities for States with higher GER, to leverage the  provisions  such  as  Graded  Autonomy  for  their  institutions,  aligning  courses  for  Skill enhancement and greater employability of their students, accreditation of their Institutions for ODL, providing Multiple Entry  and Exit options for students  to  choose  their  own  learning trajectory, enhance online education capabilities, etc, to provide for more access and inclusivity for students of their States.

In Higher Education, funds are provided to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rastriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)/Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)/. Under the scheme, State/UT Governments submit their proposals as per  the  identified  needs  of  higher  education  sector  in  their  respective  States/UTs  based  on norms set under the scheme. Approval of proposals is done by the Project Approval Board, in which States/UTs participate as members of the Board. While for Tamilnadu under RUSA a total of 100 projects for a total amount of Rs. 874.963 crore was approved, with central share Rs. 528.443 crore, the Government of Tamilnadu has not signed the MoU for PM-USHA so far.

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