Lok Sabha Question No. 145 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Gross Enrolment Ratio for Higher Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel, Shri Sanatan Pandey

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 145

ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

## †*145 SHRI SANATAN PANDEY: SHRI DHAVAL LAXMANBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education at the national level in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat in the past;
- (b) the gender-wise distribution of enrolment in higher education institutions;
- (c) the details of availability of scholarships and financial aid programmes to promote access to higher education in Ballia Lok Sabha Constituency of Uttar Pradesh and Valsad Lok Sabha Constituency of Gujarat; and
- (d) the measures and initiatives taken by the Government to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio and improve access to higher education specially in the under-served areas along with the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 145 ANSWERED  ON  10 th   MARCH,  2025  REGARDING  GROSS  ENROLMENT  RATIO  FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ASKED BY HON'BLE MPs SHRI SANATAN PANDEY AND SHRI DHAVAL LAXMANBHAI PATEL:

- (a) As per the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at  National  level  is  29.5  for  2022-23  (provisional).  The  GER  in  2022-23  (provisional)  for  Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat is 26.2 and 25.4 respectively. In comparison, as per AISHE, the GER for year 2014-15 at National level was 23.7, with Uttar Pradesh having a GER of 23.4 and Gujarat having GER of 20.
- (b) As per AISHE 2022-23(provisional), out of 4.46 crore total enrolled students, 2.29 crore (51.3 %) are male and 2.17 crore (48.7%) are female.
- (c) Government is implementing various scholarships and fellowships schemes as well as financial aid programmes across country including Ballia Lok Sabha Constituency of Uttar Pradesh and Valsad Lok Sabha Constituency of Gujarat to promote access to higher education to all students. The details of the Scholarships/Fellowships and Financial Assistance schemes are outlined below:
1. Ministry of Education
- Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) with 4 components:
- a) PM-USP Central Sector Interest Subsidy (PM-USP CSIS)
- b) PM-USP Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Education Loan (PM-USP CGFSEL)
- c) PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (PMUSP CSSS)
- d) PM-USP Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (PM-USP SSS JKL)
- Pradhan Mantri Vidyalaxmi (PM-Vidyalaxmi)
- Prime Minister Research Fellowship (PMRF)
2. University Grants Commission (UGC):
- Ishan Uday special scholarship schemes for NER
- National scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies
- UGC National Eligibility Test -Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF)
- Savitribai Jyotirao Phule single girl child fellowship
3. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) :
- AICTE Post-Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme
- AICTE Pragati Scholarship Scheme Specially for Girls (Degree & Diploma)
- AICTE Saksham Scholarship Scheme for Boys & Girls (Degree & Diploma)
- AICTE - SWANATH Scholarship Scheme for Students for students who lost parents during COVID (Degree & Diploma)
- AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF)
- AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme for Girl Students (BBA, BCA & BMS Degree)
- AICTE  Yashasvi  (Young  Achievers'  Scholarship  and  Holistic  Academic  Skills  Venture Initiative) Scheme 2024.
- AICTE Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF)
4. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
- Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC
- Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for OBC, EBC and DNT students
- Top Class Education in Colleges for OBC, EBC and DNT students
- Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers (SHREYAS) for Scheduled Castes (SCs) comprising of comprises of 4 sub-Schemes namely
- a) Top-Class Scholarship Scheme for SC students (TCS)
- b) Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme (FCS)
- c) National Overseas Scholarship scheme for Scheduled Castes etc. (NOS) and
- d) National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste students (NFSC).
5. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above)
- National Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students (Top Class)
- National Fellowship for Higher Education for ST students
- National Overseas Scholarship for ST students.
6. Ministry of Science and Technology
- Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)'
7. North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
- Financial Support to the Students of North Eastern Region (NER) for Higher Professional Courses (NER Merit Scholarship)
- (d) Education is in Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of the Higher Education Institutions are in the domain of the respective States. The Centre and States together endeavour to uplift the educational  status  of  the  students  of  the  country,  especially  in  the  under-served  areas  and  the disadvantaged communities.  Some of the initiatives of Central Government are as under:
1. National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) envisages increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education including vocational education, to 50% by 2035 and the Government has taken various measures to increase the GER in Higher Education, which inter-alia include:
- i) Opening of more HEIs - Since 2014-15, 8 Central Universities, 7 IITs, 8 IIMs and 16 IIITs have been newly established.
- 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) Allow pursuing two Academic Programmes simultaneously.
- vi) Permitting HEIs for two admission cycles in an academic year.
- vii) 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.
- viii) Permitting up to 40% credits in regular courses using SWAYAM platform.
- ix) 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.
2. To cater to needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas, the Ministry of Education has been implementing the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme, which envisages  improvement  in  access,  equity  and  excellence  in  State  Higher  Education  system through  support  under  various  components  viz.,  Multi-  Disciplinary  Education  and  Research Universities (MERU), Grants to Strengthen Universities (Accredited & Unaccredited Universities), Grants to Strengthen Colleges (Accredited & Unaccredited Colleges), New Model Degree Colleges and Gender Inclusion and Equity Initiatives.
3. Indira  Gandhi National  Open University (IGNOU), also strive towards enhancing access and equity  to  higher  education  through  distance  mode.  It  pays  special  attention  to  disadvantaged sections  of  the  society  and  regions  by  establishing  study  centres  in  the  backward  areas  and districts.
4. In  addition  to  the  above,  the  details  of  scholarship  and  fellowship  schemes  to  support students/research scholars to pursue higher education/research in North Eastern Region (NER), Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are:
- PM-USP  Special  Scholarship  Scheme  for  Jammu  &  Kashmir  and  Ladakh  is  aimed  at promoting higher education among youth from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The scheme provides financial assistance to students from these regions to pursue graduate and integrated degree courses in the institutions outside the UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
- Financial  support  to  the  students  of  NER  for  Higher  Professional  Courses  (NER  Merit Scholarship)- The scholarship aims to providing financial assistance to students of NorthEastern Region undergoing studies in various disciplines at a recognized Indian institution.
- Ishan Uday special scholarship schemes is being implemented by UGC for North East Region (NE Region) for preventing drop-out at Graduation level, promoting higher education and for encouraging children belonging to economically weaker section of the NE region.

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