What’s in the news?

• The Ministry of Education has released the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-2022.

About AISHE

• The Ministry has been conducting AISHE since 2011, covering all Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in the country collecting detailed information on different parameters such as student enrollment, teachers, infrastructural information, etc.

Following are the key highlights of the survey:

Student Enrolment:

• The total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.33 crore in 2021-22 from 4.14 crore in 2020-21. There has been an increase of around 91 lakh in the enrolment from 3.42 crore (26.5%) in 2014-15.
• The Female enrolment has increased to 2.07 crore in 2021-22 from 2.01 crore in 2020-21.  There has been an increase of around 50 lakh in the female enrolment from 1.57 crore (32%) in 2014-15.
• The total Student Enrolment in North East States is 12.02 lakh in 2021-22 as compared to 9.36 lakh in 2014-15. 
• Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) has increased to 28.4 in 2021-22 from 23.7 in 2014-15 [as per 2011 population projections for 18-23 years age group]. Female GER has increased to 28.5 in 2021-22 from 22.9 in 2014-15.
• Gender Parity Index (GPI), the ratio of female GER to male GER is 1.01 in 2021-22. GPI has continued to be above 1 since 2017-18 i.e., female GER continues to be more than male GER for the fifth consecutive year.
• As per response in AISHE 2021-22, about 78.9% of the total students are enrolled in undergraduate level courses and 12.1% are enrolled in postgraduate level courses.
• Among Disciplines at undergraduate level in AISHE 2021-22, enrolment is highest in Arts (34.2%), followed by science (14.8%), Commerce (13.3%) and Engineering & Technology (11.8%).
• Among streams at postgraduate level in AISHE 2021-22, maximum students are enrolled in Social Science (21.1%) followed by science (14.7%).
• Government Universities constituting 58.6% of total Universities, contribute 73.7% of total enrolment, Private Universities account for 26.3% of total enrolment.
• Availability of different infrastructural facilities in university in 2021-22:
  • Libraries (99%)
  • Laboratories (88%)
  • Computer centers (93%)
  • Skill Development Centre (71%)
  • Play Ground (91%)

Number of Institutions

• The total number of Universities / University level institutions registered is 1,168, Colleges 45,473 and Standalone Institutions 12,002.
• In all, 341 Universities/University level institutions have been established since 2014-15.
• 17 Universities (of which 14 are State Public Universities) and 4,470 Colleges are exclusively for women.

Faculty

• The total number of faculty/teachers in 2021-22 are 15.98 lakh, of which about 56.6% are male and 43.4% are female.
• Female faculty/teachers have increased to 6.94 lakh in 2021-22 from 5.69 lakh in 2014-15 (an increase of 22% since 2014-15)
• There is a marginal betterment of female per 100 male faculty from 75 in 2020-21 to 77 in 2021-22.