Equity initiatives help drive India’s HE enrolment to 45m

India’s higher education system has reached a milestone, with enrolment rising to a record 45 million students in 2023 and 2024.

However, the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) released recently by the Ministry of Education suggests that the real story is not just expanding access – it is who is driving that growth.

Women as well as students belonging to disadvantaged communities have recorded significant gains in participation, while the female Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) (31.2%) exceeds that of men (28.9%), remaining higher than the male GER for the seventh year in a row.

Aarti Srivastava, professor and head of the Department of Higher and Professional Education at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, told University World News that the female Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) exceeding that of men reflects the cumulative impact of scholarships, improved school retention, expansion of institutions, and targeted government initiatives for girls.

“While this marks an important milestone in access, women remain under-represented in engineering, technology, research, and institutional leadership,” she said.

According to the survey, enrolment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses surpassed 10 million, reaching 10.1 million students – representing 22.5% of total higher education enrolment.

Although the overall number of men in STEM exceeded that of women, female students outnumbered males in the science stream, highlighting the persistent gender gap between science and engineering disciplines.

The AISHE survey serves as the government’s primary source of data on higher education, covering key indicators such as enrolment, institutions, faculty, infrastructure, and more.

Dr Pankaj Mittal, secretary general of the Association of Indian Universities, told University World News that the AISHE report reflects the sustained growth in enrolments despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic in previous years.

“Equally noteworthy is the continued rise in the participation of women and students belonging to marginalised communities, demonstrating equity among various sectors,” she said.

“The steady increase in the GER indicates a step towards reaching the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 target of achieving a GER of 50% by 2035. The expansion of multidisciplinary institutions, increasing participation in professional and technical education, and growing digital adoption also signal a gradual transformation of the higher education landscape,” she said.

While Srivastava also agrees that NEP 2020 is making progress towards expanding access, she pointed out that measurable improvements in quality, multidisciplinary education, research output, and employability will require longer-term implementation and stronger institutional capacity.

Rise in disadvantaged students

According to the AISHE report, compared to the previous year (2022 and 2023), the GER for SCs (Scheduled Castes) rose from 27.3% to 27.8%, while the GER for STs (Scheduled Tribes) increased from 22.6% to 22.8%.

Enrolment among OBCs (Other Backward Classes) rose from 17.4 million to 18.0 million, accounting for 40.1% of total higher education enrolment.

Students from other communities, including general and unreserved categories, constituted 38% of the total enrolment.

Scheduled Castes and Tribes are groups listed under the Indian constitution as being particularly disadvantaged. Federally funded higher education institutions “reserve” 7.5% of places for Scheduled Tribes and 15% for Scheduled Castes, which include Dalits – formerly known as “untouchables”.

Mittal said rising female participation and enrolment among SC, ST and OBC communities are the result of sustained policy interventions over the past two decades, reinforced by the vision of NEP 2020, which has strengthened inclusion by promoting multidisciplinary education, multiple entry-exit options, the Academic Bank of Credits, digital learning, and the proposed Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions.

Reservation policies have ensured equitable access for socially disadvantaged communities. Government scholarships, fellowships and other financial assistance schemes have reduced financial barriers, she added.

Initiatives raise women’s participation

“For women, the establishment of women’s universities and colleges, improved hostel facilities, transportation support, safety measures, and growing social awareness regarding girls’ education have significantly contributed to increased participation.

“The expansion of open and distance learning, online education, and flexible learning pathways has enabled many women to pursue higher education while balancing family responsibilities,” said Mittal.

The survey revealed that total enrolment increased by 0.8% year-on-year to 45 million in 2023 and 2024, up from 44.6 million in 2022 and 2023, compared with a 3% rise in the previous year.

The AISHE 2023–24 report highlights the continued expansion of India's higher education system. It recorded 1,289 universities, 48,246 colleges, and 15,221 standalone institutions, including 1,622 colleges newly registered during the year.

The number of teachers rose from approximately 1.66 million in 2022 and 2023 to 1.73 million in 2023 and 2024. The gender gap among faculty also narrowed. There were 82 female teachers for every 100 male teachers, while women accounted for 44.9% of the total teaching workforce in higher education.

Faculty shortage persists

Srivastava said while student enrolment has increased, faculty strength has grown much more slowly, and many public universities continue to face high vacancy rates and infrastructure constraints. Without sustained investment in faculty recruitment, research facilities, and digital infrastructure, improvements in access may not translate into better learning outcomes.

Mittal also agrees that capacity constraints remain significant although India has made remarkable progress in expanding access.

“Infrastructure development has improved considerably over the past decade, but disparities persist between central institutions and many state universities and colleges, particularly in rural and remote regions.

“Laboratories, research facilities, digital infrastructure, student hostels, and innovation ecosystems require substantial strengthening,” Mittal explained.

She said financial sustainability also remains a concern. “Public investment in higher education needs to increase further, while institutions should diversify their revenue sources through research funding, industry partnerships, alumni contributions, philanthropy, continuing education programmes, and international collaborations,” Mittal added.

Mittal also suggested launching a national faculty development and recruitment mission to fill vacancies, improving faculty quality, promoting international mobility, and strengthening research capacity.

She said increasing student numbers without strengthening institutional capacity risks diluting educational standards.

“Universities should adopt differentiated institutional models where research-intensive universities, teaching-intensive universities, and autonomous colleges perform complementary roles.

“Faculty recruitment must keep pace with enrolment growth, and continuous faculty development should become an institutional priority,” Mittal said.

Technology can also play a transformative role. Artificial intelligence, adaptive learning platforms, virtual laboratories, digital libraries, blended learning, and learning analytics can improve teaching effectiveness while supporting larger student populations, according to Mittal.

“Rather than merely increasing classroom capacity, universities should focus on creating student-centred learning environments that promote innovation, research, interdisciplinary education, and experiential learning,” Mittal added.

The survey also reveals a decline of approximately 100,000 students in undergraduate enrolment during 2023 and 2024. Experts believe this is because many young people no longer view a standard bachelor degree alone as a guarantee of a good job. Conversely, enrolment in postgraduate and PhD programmes continued to rise.

Students struggle to find employment

Experts point out that, despite the rise in the GER, many students still struggle to secure employment. The reasons for this include a lack of practical skills, outdated teaching methods, and weak coordination between colleges and industries.

Srivastava said despite record enrolment, graduate employability remains uneven because curricula often lag behind industry requirements and practical skill development.

Universities should strengthen industry partnerships, internships, apprenticeship programmes, entrepreneurship education, and regular curriculum revision to improve employment outcomes.

Expressing similar views, Mittal said the next phase of higher education reforms should focus on strengthening employability through closer university-industry partnerships, skill integration, and stronger career services.

Mittal said India now possesses one of the world's largest higher education systems, second only to China in terms of enrolment. From an economic perspective, a larger educated workforce is essential for achieving the aspirations of ‘Developed India@2047’ or Viksit Bharat@47, the government’s vision to transform the country into a self-reliant and prosperous economy by 2047, which marks one hundred years of independence.

However, she noted the real success of this milestone will depend on how effectively universities convert increased access into meaningful educational and employment outcomes.

Srivastava said as India seeks to internationalise its higher education sector, the country with the world's largest higher education systems has significant potential to attract international students and become a global education hub.

However, improving research quality, international rankings, faculty mobility, and institutional autonomy will be essential to compete with leading global destinations, she added.