India’s higher education enrolment hits 4.5 crore; women, marginalised groups lead way: AISHE report

India’s higher education sector has recorded significant growth over the last decade, with total student enrolment scaling to 4.5 crore in the 2023-24 academic year. According to the latest reports of the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) for 2022-23 and 2023-24, released by the Union Ministry of Education, this marks a 31.5% surge from 3.42 crore in 2014-15.

The multi-year survey data reflects an institutional participation rate of over 90%, drawing metrics from 59,533 higher education institutions (HEIs) across the country to outline major strides in inclusivity, female participation, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) adoption.

The AISHE data is self-reported voluntarily by registered HEIs via a web-based portal utilising a data capture format (DCF). While the Ministry of Education executes built-in validations and scrutiny checks, primary data quality remains the responsibility of the respective institutions.

One of the most notable highlights from the latest survey cycle is the sustained upward trajectory of women in higher education.

Gender parity

The Gender Parity Index (GPI) stands at 1.08 for 2023-24, remaining consistently above 1.0 for seven consecutive years. This underlines a trend where female participation systematically outpaces male participation.

Also, India’s gross enrolment (calculated for the 18-23 age bracket) reached 30 in 2023-24. Notably, the female GER scaled to 31.2, distinctly higher than the national baseline.

For the Scheduled Castes (SC), the enrolment jumped 51.4% since 2014-15, reaching 69.72 lakh. The GER for SC students grew from 18.9 to 27.8. For the Scheduled Tribes (STs), enrolment witnessed a 75.7% hike, climbing to 28.83 lakh, with the GER stepped up from 13.5 to 22.8. With regard to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), student numbers expanded by 60.2%, growing from 1.13 crore to 1.80 crore over the 10-year period.

In STEM fields

Enrolment in STEM fields climbed to 1.02 crore in 2023-24. “Mirroring the overall demographic shift, the female share in STEM programmes climbed steadily to 44%, up from 38.4% a decade ago. To support this massive student ecosystem, the faculty network has grown to 17.32 lakh teachers in 2023-24,” the latest AISHE reports stated.

Female educators are increasingly representing the academic workforce, with their numbers rising to 7.78 lakh, accounting for 44.9% of the total teaching strength, the report further noted.