**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Minister of Education's response to a parliamentary question regarding the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in India. It provides the current GER, the government's target for increasing it by 2035, and details various initiatives taken to improve the quality of education and equity in HEIs, including reservation policies and scholarship programs. The current GER is 29.5; the target GER is 50% by 2035.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER):**
* The National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for 2022-23 is provisionally at 29.5.
* National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to increase GER to 50% by 2035, including vocational education.
* **Reservation Policies:**
* The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 is in effect.
* 15% of seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs).
* 7.5% of seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs).
* 27% of seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
* 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) was implemented in January 2019.
* 5% horizontal reservation is provided for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).
* **Initiatives for Quality and Equity in Education:**
* The Ministry has aligned various schemes/projects/programs with NEP 2020 to ensure equal learning opportunities.
* Efforts focus on bridging social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes, with emphasis on women's education.
* Measures include fee reductions, establishing more institutes, scholarships, and prioritizing access to national scholarships for students with poor financial backgrounds.
* **Scholarship and Fellowship Programs:**
* The Government is implementing various Scholarships and Fellowships to promote access to higher education for students including students from socially disadvantaged groups. These are implemented by:
* Ministry of Education
* University Grants Commission (UGC):
* All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) :
* Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
* Ministry of Tribal Affairs
* Ministry of Science and Technology
* North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Students**
* **Impact:** Increased access to higher education through reservation policies, scholarship programs, and initiatives promoting equity.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available scholarships and reservation opportunities to pursue higher education.
**Stakeholder: Central and State Governments**
* **Impact:** Shared responsibility in enhancing the quality of education in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
* **Action Required:** Align schemes and projects with NEP 2020 to promote equal learning opportunities and bridge social category gaps.
**Stakeholder: Educational Institutions (Central Educational Institutions)**
* **Impact:** Mandated to implement reservation policies for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwBD categories.
* **Action Required:** Ensure proper implementation of reservation policies in admissions.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020): A national policy that envisages increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education to 50% by 2035.
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): The percentage of students enrolled in higher education institutions, a key metric discussed in the document.
Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006: An act mandating reservation of seats in Central Educational Institutions for various categories.
Ministry of Education: The primary ministry responsible for initiatives and policies regarding education, particularly higher education, in India.
All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE): A survey used to determine the National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER).
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 (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
• 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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