Lok Sabha Question No. 228 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Gross Enrolment Ratio  in HEIs
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Md Abu Taher Khan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-228

ANSWERED ON-01/12/2025

## Gross Enrolment Ratio in HEIs

228. Md Abu Taher Khan:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of students in Higher Education Institutions in the country;

(b)  the  target  set  by  the  Government  to  increase  GER  in  Higher  Education  Institutions  in  the country; and

(c) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to improve the quality of education in terms of equity in Higher Education Institutions, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a): As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), 2022-23(Provisional), National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is 29.5.

(b): National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) envisages increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education including vocational education, to 50% by 2035.

(c): The Government has notified the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, wherein reservation of seats in Central Educational Institutions is implemented, which is  15%, 7.5% and 27% of the annual permitted strength in each branch of study or faculty for Scheduled  Castes (SCs), Scheduled  Tribes  (STs)  and  Other  Backward  Classes  (OBCs) respectively. Central Educational Institutions have also been issued instructions in January, 2019 for  implementation  of  10%  reservation  for  Economically  Weaker  Section  (EWS).  Horizontal reservation of 5% for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) is also provided.

Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility of  both  the  Central  and  State  Governments.  Various  schemes/  projects/  programs  run  by  the Ministry have been aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. This policy aims at bridging the social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes, including providing greater access to women. The Central Government has taken  various  measures  to  promote  higher  education  among  the  students  across  the  nation including women, such as fee reductions, establishment of more institutes, scholarships, priority access to national level scholarships to aid students with poor financial backgrounds to pursue their education.

Government is implementing various Scholarships and Fellowships to promote access to higher education  for  students  including  students  from  socially  disadvantaged  groups.  The  details  of schemes are as under:

## 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 (PM-USP CSSS)
- d) PM-USP Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (PMUSP 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
- 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)'
- Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)'
- WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF)
- WISE-Societal Challenges with Opportunities (WISE-SCOPE) programmes
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)

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