Parliament Question: GER/GCR for Higher Education

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4114 ANSWERED ON-18/08/2025 GER/GCR for Higher Education

4114. Shri G Kumar Naik:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Gross Completion Ratio (GCR) for higher education across the country, State-wise, gender-wise and social category-wise;

(b) the details of scholarships and financial aid programmes available to promote access to higher education, particularly for students from socially disadvantaged groups;

(c) whether the Government has taken any measures or initiatives to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio and Gross Completion Ratio in order to improve the access of higher education, especially in under-served areas;

and

(d) if so, the details thereof? 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. The State-wise, gender-wise and social category-wise GER and Out- turn/Pass out are available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques .

(b): 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)(c) & (d): Education is in Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of the Higher Education Institutions are in the domain of the respective States. The Centre and States together endeavour to uplift the educational status of the students of the country, especially in the under-served areas and the disadvantaged communities. Some of the initiatives of Central Government are as under:

National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) envisages increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education including vocational education, to 50% by 2035 and the Government has taken various measures to increase the GER in Higher Education, which inter-alia include:

i) Opening of more HEIs - Since 2014-15, 8 Central Universities, 7 IITs, 8 IIMs and 16 IIITs have been newly established. ii) Implementing various Scholarship and Fellowship schemes for providing financial assistance to students, including for SC/ST/OBC and Minority students and underserved regions.

iii) Allowing well performing HEIs (based on NAAC and NIRF ranking) by University Grants Commission (UGC) to offer full Open Distance Learning/Online Programmes based on quality parameters. iv) Providing much-needed flexibility and appropriate Exit as well Re-entry options in the Higher Education system, to facilitate students to choose their learning trajectory.

v) Allow pursuing two Academic Programmes simultaneously. vi) Permitting HEIs for two admission cycles in an academic year. vii) Providing anytime, anywhere learning opportunities for all learners through Study Webs for Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) platform, which provides high quality structured online courses in multiple disciplines.

viii) Permitting up to 40% credits in regular courses using SWAYAM platform. ix) Conducting JEE, NEET (UG) and Common University Entrance Test (CUET) Exams in 13 languages, to facilitate students and making available Text Books in Indian Languages to facilitate students, particularly from vernacular/rural background.

x) To promote multilingual education, the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, as per the Budget announcement 2025–26, has been envisaged to provide textbooks across various school and higher education subjects in 22 Indian languages in digital format over the next three years.

Initiatives of the Government has resulted in increase of GER to 29.5 in 2022-23 (Provisional) from

23.7 in 2014-15. *****