Lok Sabha Question No. 474 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: Decrease of OBC in Gross Enrolment Ratio in HEIs
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Talari Rangaiah

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-474

ANSWERED ON-24/07/2023

## Decrease of OBC in Gross Enrolment Ratio in HEIs

474. DR. TALARI RANGAIAH :

Will the Minister of EDUCATION

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  (GER)  in  Higher  Education  among OBCs decreased during the last five years; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken to improve the GER among Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

(DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

- (a) The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is calculated as the Percentage of Student enrolment in a  particular  Social  Category  to  the  population  in  the  18-23  Age-Group  of  that  Social Category. In the case of Other Backward Classes (OBC), Student enrolment is available from All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Report, which as per latest AISHE Report, has increased continuously:
- (b)  The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  increase  the  Enrolment/GER  of  Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and OBC students :-
- As  per  the  reservation  policy  of  Government  of  India,  the  Central  Educational Institutions  (Reservation  in  Admission)  Act,  2006  was  notified  in  January,  2007, wherein it has been stipulated that 15% of seats are reserved for SC students, 7.5% for ST students, and 27% seats for OBC students in admission in Central Educational Institutions.  The  Government  has  issued  instructions  to  the  Higher  Educational Institutions  to  ensure  that  reservation-related  provisions  of  the  Act  passed  by Parliament shall be implemented by all educational institutions in letter and spirit .
- The  Government  is  implementing  various  fellowship  and  scholarship  schemes  for providing financial assistance to all categories of students including Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC) and Minority communities. The details of these schemes including the number of slots, assistance offered and eligibility criteria are available in the following websites: -
- Remedial  Coaching  is  given  to  SC/ST/OBC  (Non-creamy  layer)  and  Minority Community  Students  to  improve  their  knowledge,  academic  skills  and  linguistic proficiency.
- Concessions and Age-relaxations are provided to SC/ST/OBC category  students in UGC- Junior Research Fellowship.
- Coaching Classes are conducted for National Eligibility Test/State Eligibility Test for SC/ST/OBC (Non-creamy layer).
- To facilitate the Students from SC/ST/OBC and rural areas:-
- o Examinations  like  JEE,  NEET  etc  are  being  conducted  in  13  Indian languages.
- o Textbooks for even professional courses like Engineering and Law are being translated  in  Indian  languages.  Some  Universities  have  started  imparting Engineering courses in Indian languages.

| Year          | 2016-17     | 2017-18     | 2018-19     | 2019-20     | 2020-21     |
|---------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| OBC Enrolment | 1,22,99,309 | 1,28,33,005 | 1,35,91,994 | 1,42,49,114 | 1,48,21,537 |

|   Sl. N o. | Ministry/Depar tment                      | 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_content.php?lang=1&level= 2&ls_id=669&lid=825 |

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