NEW DELHI: India’s higher education system has crossed a new threshold, with total enrolment reaching 4.50 crore students in 2023-24. The striking shift is that women gross enrolment ratio (GER) has risen to 31.2% compared to 28.9% for men, a trend that has continued for seven years, according to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE).
The survey found that female students account for 49.7% of total higher education enrolment. GER for all students aged 18-23 years reached 30% in 2023-24, compared with 23.7 in 2014-15.
The rise shows wider access to colleges over the past decade, though the country remains below the National Education Policy target of 50% GER by 2035.
Higher education expansion has largely happened at the undergraduate level. About 76.8% of students are enrolled in undergraduate programmes, while postgraduate courses account for 12.9%. Arts remains the largest stream with 32.1% of undergraduate enrolment, followed by science at 13.5%, engineering and technology at 12.9%, and commerce at 12%.
The growth has reached disadvantaged communities. SC enrolment increased to 69.7 lakh students in 2023-24, rising 51.4% since 2014-15. ST enrolment reached 28.8 lakh, a 75.7% increase over the same period. OBC enrolment rose to 1.8 crore, accounting for 40.1% of total enrolment.
