Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education responded to questions regarding the sufficiency of educational institutions, referencing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's goals of achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in preschool to secondary level by 2030 and 50% GER in higher education by 2035. The response outlines measures taken to improve equitable access and distribution of higher education, including the establishment of new institutions and financial support initiatives. The third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), now Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), launched in June 2023, will continue through 2025-26.
Key Points / Main Content:
NEP 2020 Goals:
* Achieve 100% GER in preschool to secondary level by 2030.
* Raise GER in Higher Education to 50% by 2035, including vocational education.
* Improve educational quality through discovery-based learning, holistic development, and supportive systems.
Enhancing Access to Higher Education:
* Increase in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to 60,380 as per AISHE 2022-23 (provisional).
* Established 42 new Centrally Funded Institutions since 2014, including IIITs, Central Universities, IIMs, IITs, IISERs and NIT.
* Financial support via scholarships for students from SC/ST/OBC, minority communities, and underserved regions.
* Permitting eligible HEIs to offer Open and Distance Learning/Online programmes.
* Allowing two admission cycles per academic year.
* Facilitating flexible learning through platforms like SWAYAM.
* GER increased to 29.5 as per AISHE 2022-23 (provisional).
Addressing Underserved Areas:
* Launched Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) in June 2023 for 2023-24 to 2025-26 with an outlay of ₹12,926.10 crore.
* Central Higher Education Institutions provide academic leadership in their regions.
* Central University of Haryana located in Mahendragarh district.
* Consolidating the higher education system by scaling up existing institutional capacity.
* State Governments are also taking initiatives to improve access to higher education.
Impact Analysis:
Students:
Impact: Increased access to higher education through new institutions, financial aid, flexible learning options, and multiple admission cycles.
Action Required: Explore available scholarships, utilize online learning platforms like SWAYAM, and take advantage of increased admission opportunities.
Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs):
Impact: Opportunity to expand offerings through Open and Distance Learning/Online programs, increased funding through PM-USHA, and potential for increased enrollment.
Action Required: Evaluate eligibility for offering online programs, apply for PM-USHA funding, and prepare for increased student enrollment.
State Governments:
Impact: Responsibility to improve access to higher education within their respective states, complementing central government initiatives.
Action Required: Develop and implement state-level initiatives to enhance higher education access, coordinate with central government programs, and support existing institutions.
Underserved Regions:
Impact: Targeted efforts to improve educational infrastructure and access through PM-USHA and the establishment of new institutions.
Action Required: Identify specific needs and gaps in educational resources, collaborate with the government to implement targeted interventions, and promote awareness of available opportunities.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy 2020: A national policy document that envisions achieving 100 Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in preschool to secondary level by 2030 and raising GER in Higher Education to 50 by 2035.
Gross Enrolment Ratio: A statistical measure used in the education sector to determine the number of students enrolled in a particular level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population in the theoretical age group for that level.
All India Survey on Higher Education: An annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Education to collect data on various aspects of higher education in India.
Indian Institutes of Information Technology: A group of centrally funded technical institutes in India, focused on higher education and research in information technology.
Central Universities: Universities established by an Act of Parliament and funded by the Government of India.
Indian Institute of Management: A group of premier business schools in India.
Indian Institute of Technology: A group of premier engineering and technology institutes in India.
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan: A centrally sponsored scheme to fund state higher educational institutions. Now succeeded by Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA)
Haryana: A state in India, mentioned in the context of educational institutions and gaps in districts such as Bhiwani and Mahendragarh.
Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh district: A central university located in the Mahendragarh district of Haryana.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4070
ANSWERED ON 18/08/2025
Sufficiency of Educational Institutes
4070. Shri Dharambir Singh:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has conducted any national assessment for sufficiency of
Universities, Colleges, and Schools compared to the population density, State-wise;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is a standard benchmark for number of Institutions against population, if so,
the details thereof;
(d) the efforts made by the Government to ensure equitable distribution of Higher Educational
Institutes and Schools in underserved regions;
(e) whether the Government has identified specific gaps in Haryana, especially in Bhiwani and
Mahendragarh districts;
(f) whether there is any national policy to establish new institutions based on population trends
and projected demographic growth; and
(g) if so, the details thereof ?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (g) The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) envisions achieving 100% Gross
Enrolment Ratio (GER) in preschool to secondary level by 2030 and raising GER in Higher
Education, including vocational education, to 50% by 2035. The policy takes a comprehensive
approach to improving educational quality, emphasizing discovery-based learning, holistic
development, and supportive systems across all levels to foster critical thinking and innovation.
To enhance equitable access to higher education, the Government has undertaken several
measures which led to a significant increase in the number of Higher Educational Institutions
(HEIs) to 60,380 as per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2022-23 (provisional).
Since 2014, 42 new Centrally Funded Institutions have been established which include 16
Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT), 8 Central Universities (CU), 8 Indian
Institute of Management (IIM), 7 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), 2 Indian Institute ofScience Education and Research (IISER) and 1 National Institute of Technology (NIT).
Initiatives also include financial support through scholarships for students from SC/ST/OBC,
minority communities, and underserved regions; permitting eligible HEIs to offer Open and
Distance Learning/Online programmes; allowing two admission cycles per academic year; and
facilitating flexible learning through platforms like SWAYAM. These efforts have contributed
to an increase in GER to 29.5 as per AISHE 2022-23 (provisional).
To address the needs of unserved and underserved areas, the Government launched the third
phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in June 2023, in the form of Pradhan
Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26 with an
outlay of ₹12,926.10 crore, including committed liabilities.
The establishment of higher educational institutions is an ongoing process, undertaken as per
requirement. Central Higher Education Institutions are envisaged as pace-setting institutions
providing academic leadership in their regions. In Haryana, the Central University of Haryana
is located in Mahendragarh district. Additionally, the state hosts other central institutions such
as the Indian Institute of Information Technology (Sonepat), Indian Institute of Management
(Rohtak), and National Institute of Technology (Kurukshetra) etc. The current focus is on
consolidating the higher education system by scaling up existing institutional capacity. As
education is a concurrent subject, State Governments are also taking initiatives to improve
access to higher education in their respective states.