Lok Sabha Question No. 3674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-08
Subject: Gross Enrolment Ratio
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAM KUMAR SHARMA KUSHWAHA, POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3674 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2016

## Gross Enrolment Ratio

## †3674. SHRI RAM KUMAR SHARMA: SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of the country in higher education;
- (b) whether the Ministry has a target to achieve 30 per cent GER by 2020;
- (c) if so, the number of students who needs to be enrolled in the higher education system by 2020;
- (d) whether our colleges and universities are equipped to cater to the demand-supply in this regard;
- (e) if so, whether higher education in the country is marked by gender imbalance; and
- (f) if so, whether the Ministry plans to address such challenges, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a) to (c): As per the report of All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) during 2014-15, in Higher Education in the age group 18-23 yearsis 24.3%.

According  to  the  Twelfth  Five  Year  Plan  (2012-17)  document,  creation  of  an  additional capacity of 10 million students including one million in open and distance learning is envisaged by the end of the Twelfth Plan to reach the target of 30% of GER by 2020-21.

Gross Enrolment Ratio is total enrolment in Higher education as percentage of the population in  the  age  group  18-23 years in a year. Therefore, number of students required to be enrolled in higher education for achieving the GER target of 30%  by 2020 would depend upon the population in the age group 18-23 years in 2020.  However, with the increasing trend in GER over the past few years from 20.8% in 2011-12 to 24.3%  in 2014-15, the target is achievable.

(d):  As  per  AISHE  2014-15,  there  are  51,534  Higher  Education  Institutions  including  760 universities  in  the  country.To  attract  Students  to  Higher  Education,  the  Government  has  taken several  initiatives  such  as  opening  of  new  institutions,  scholarship  and  interest  subsidy  on educational loans availed by the students. The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) has been envisaged as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the objective of making the best use of ICT with the purpose of identification and nurturing of talent and life-long learning as well as extending the education facility to a larger section of people. During the Twelfth Five Year Plan a new scheme called the RashtriyaUchchatarShikshaAbhiyan (RUSA) has been launched withthe aim to achieve equity, access and  excellence in state higher education  system.  The  scheme  supports  components  such  as  upgrading  autonomous  colleges  to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served  and  underserved  areas  as  well  as  providing  infrastructure  grants  to  universities  and colleges to scale up capacity.

(e)  &  (f):    As  per  AISHE  2014-15,  Gender  Parity  Index  (GPI)  at  0.92  shows  that  proportion  of enrolment of male students in higher education to their population in the age group 18-23 years is marginally higher than the corresponding proportion for female students.In order to encourage girls students  for  pursuing  higher  education,  the  Government  is  implementing  scholarship/fellowship programmes for them to supplement the cost of education. For increasing participation of girls in higher education 'Construction of Women's hostels for colleges'scheme is also being implemented.

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