Lok Sabha Question No. 1365 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Enrolment in Post-Graduate and Ph.D. Programmes
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1365 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## ENROLMENT IN POST-GRADUATE AND PH.D. PROGRAMMES

1365 . SHRI K C VENUGOPAL :

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  students  enrolled  in  post-graduate  and  Ph.D.  programmes  across  all Central Universities particularly in institutions such as IITs, IIMs and IISc, year-wise from the academic session 2020-21 to 2024-25 and category-wise (SC, ST, OBC and EWS);
- (b) whether there is a persistent decline in the enrolment and completion rates of SC, ST and OBC students in postgraduate and doctoral programmes and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  total  number  of  complaints/cases  registered  during  the  last  five  years  regarding castebased discrimination, harassment or humiliation faced by SC, ST and OBC students in Central Universities and centrally-funded institutions;
- (d) the  total  number  of  suicides  and  unnatural  deaths  of  students  reported  in  Central Universities and centrally-funded institutions during the last five years; and
- (e) the current status of implementation of the UGC (Promotion of Equity) Regulations across all campuses in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):  To  portray  the  status  of  higher  education  in  the  country,  Ministry  of  Education conducts annual All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) and as per the available AISHE data, there has been increase in the enrolment of SC, ST and OBC students for PG and PhD level in CUs, IIMs, IITs, IISc from 2020-21.

NEP 2020 enshrines for seamless student mobility and flexibility in terms of academic pathways by means of multiple entry and exit facility in academic programs offered in higher educational institutions. In line with tenets of NEP 2020, CFHEIs have also initiated a number of  facilitative  measures  for  students  which  include  appointment  of  advisors  to  monitor academic  progress  of  students,  provision  of  additional  classes  for  academically  weaker students, peer assisted learning, counselling to destressed students, psychological motivation and extra-curricular activities.

Students Welfare centres have also been established in CHEIs particularly in IITs to promote  student  well-being  through  volunteer  programmes,  student  counselling/training sessions and grievance redressal mechanisms. Mental health professionals including counsellors, psychiatrists and psychometricians have also been engaged to provide in person counselling and support to students along with utilisation of professional online counselling platforms.

Central Universities  and Centrally funded institutions being autonomous  institutions have also established their institution-specific mechanism to address grievances and prevent discrimination  against  any  class  of  students.  The UGC  (Promotion  of  Equity  in  Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations 2012 is a regulation issued by UGC to prevent discrimination  in  higher  education  institutions  based  on  caste,  creed,  religion,  language, ethnicity, gender, or disability. The regulations mandate institutions to establish mechanisms like  an Anti-Discrimination  Officer or Equal  Opportunity  Cell to  address  complaints  and promote  an  equitable  campus  environment,  including  awareness  programs  and  grievance redressal.  Equal Opportunity Cell are functional in Central Universities.

IIMs are self-reliant Institutes of National Importance governed by the provisions of IIM Act, Rules and Regulations As per the regulations and their own initiative,  IIMs have constituted Committees and Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) to ensure promotion of equity . The Centrally funded technical institutes such as IITs, NITs, IIITs etc are autonomous institutes governed by their respective acts of the Parliament and Anti-Ragging mechanisms, SC/ST/OBC Cell, and Internal Complaints Committee to address student grievances are already operational in these institutes.

Further,  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  has  notified  UGC  (Redressal  of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023 to provide adequate opportunities for redressal of grievances of students admitted in higher education institutions. The Regulations provide for constitution  of  Students  Grievance  Redressal  Committee  (SGRC)  and  appointment  of Ombudsperson  for  handling  complaints  of  discrimination  of  students  from  the  Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Women, Minorities or persons with disabilities categories.

To address the issue of suicide, the Government is taking multi-pronged measures and provides psychological support to students, teachers and families for mental and emotional well-being to avoid incidences of suicide. An initiative of Ministry of Education, Manodarpan , covers a wide range of activities to provide psychological support to students, teachers and families for mental and emotional well-being such as National toll-free helpline that has been extending guidance to callers through trained counsellor; and live interactive sessions 'Sahyog' and  Webinars  ' Paricharcha' that  are  organized  regularly  to  create  awareness  about  the importance of mental health among all stakeholders, students in all States/UTs.

UGC issued advisory to HEIs on 06.01.2023 regarding the National Suicide Prevention Strategy framed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. UGC has also issued Guidelines for  Promotion  of  Physical  Fitness,  Sports,  Student's  Health,  Welfare,  Psychological  and Emotional Well- being at HEIs on 13.04.2023. The Ministry on 10.07.2023 has also circulated a  broad  framework  for  emotional  and  mental  well-being  of  students  in  Higher  Education Institutes  (HEIs)  with  request  to  take  proactive  measures  to  incorporate  the  same  in  the institutional functioning and instill a feeling of confidence in the student community. These guidelines lay emphasis inter alia on sports, yoga, meditation etc. to address the wellbeing and mental health concerns.  HEIs are promoting the integration of yoga in the academic life on campus by introducing yearlong yoga event calendars, dedicated courses on yoga etc.

Department of Higher Education has initiated the Integrated approach for Promoting Positive  Mental  Health,  Resilience,  and  Wellbeing  under  the  Malaviya  Mission  Teacher Training Programme to empower faculty to address student mental health concerns for early intervention.

Comprehensive analysis of the data related to the accidental deaths and suicides in the country  is  published  in  the  yearly  Accidental  Death  &  Suicide  in  India  (ADSI)  reports  by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). Year wise and State wise details of student suicides are available in the ADSI reports which are accessible at: https://ncrb.gov.in/accidental-deathssuicides-in-india-year-wise.html.