Female enrollment in higher education in India has increased by a figure of 13 lakh in 2020-2021 in comparison to the previous year, a government survey has found. The survey conducted by the education ministry – that has taken into account various parameters, including student enrollment, teachers’ data, and infrastructural and financial information – also showed improvement in the representation of students from various communities in college-level education. The findings have been revealed in the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021. “The total enrollment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 crore in 2020-21 from 3.85 crore in 2019-20. Since 2014-15, there has been an increase of around 72 Lakh in the enrolment (21 per cent),” the report highlighted.
Here are the top points on the survey:
1) The total enrollment in higher education has seen a 21 per cent jump (72 lakh) in comparison to 2015. Of which, female enrolment was recorded at 2.01 crore as against 1.88 crore in 2019-20. “The percentage of female enrolment to total enrolment has increased from 45 per cent in 2014-15 to around 49 per cent in 2020-21,” a government statement read. “Gender Parity Index (GPI) has increased from 1 in 2017-18 to 1.05 in 2020-21,” the report stressed.
2) In 2020-21, the number of universities and colleges also increased; the number of varsities grew by 70, while 1,453 more colleges opened across the country.
3) Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat topped the states with the maximum number of colleges.
4) The survey also showed a jump in the enrolment rate of Schedule Caste (SC) students and put the projections at 58.95 lakh – an increase from 56.57 lakh in 2020-21 and 46.06 lakh in 2014-15.
5) More Scheduled Tribe (ST) students opted for higher education – 24.1 lakh in 2021 as against 21.6 lakh in 2020. The average annual enrolment has been recorded at around 1 lakh during 2015 to 2021, as against around 75,000 in 2008 to 2015.
6) Enrolment of OBC students also increased by 6 lakh to 1.48 crore in 2020-2021, from 1.42 crore in 2019-20.
7) Among various streams at the undergraduate level, enrollment was found to be highest in Arts (33.5 per cent), followed by Science (15.5 per cent), Commerce (13.9 per cent) and Engineering & Technology (11.9 per cent).
8) At the postgraduate level, the maximum number of students opted for Social Sciences (20.56 per cent), followed by Science (14.83 per cent).
9) “The female per 100 male faculty has improved to 75 in 2020-21 from 74 in 2019-20 and 63 in 2014-15,” the survey also underlined.
10) Enrollment in distance education has increased by 7 per cent in 2020-21 from 2019-20.
