Expanding access to quality higher education is seen as a crucial step toward achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047. Recognizing this and given that 81% of higher education enrolments occur in State Public Universities (SPUs) and their affiliated institutions, NITI Aayog recently published a policy report titled ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities’.
Since India’s Independence, India’s literacy rate has grown continuously. As of 2023-24, the literacy rate for individuals aged seven years and above has reached about 81%, a significant increase from just 18% in 1951. However, despite this progress, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) – which measures the proportion of the eligible population enrolling in higher education – remains notably low.
The government envisions to make India as a developed nation by 2047, marking 100 years of independence. Expanding access to quality higher education is seen as a crucial step toward achieving this goal. Recognizing this and given that 81% of higher education enrolments occur in State Public Universities (SPUs) and their affiliated institutions, the National Institute of Transforming India (NITI Aayog) conducted a survey and multi-stakeholder consultations. The findings were published in a policy report titled Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities. This report outlines key trends in India’s education sector, particularly in higher education, and makes several recommendations to improve enrolment rates.
In this two-part analysis, we examine the sector’s growth, trends in higher education enrolment, and the development of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Additionally, we highlight the major challenges and policy recommendations, especially on SPUs, as outlined in the NITI Aayog report.
The data for this analysis is sourced from the annual reports of the ‘All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)’ and curated by Dataful in its collection of datasets.
Trends in the growth of Education sector in India
The report highlights that during British rule, India’s indigenous educational and cultural systems faced a rapid decline due to the adoption of a utilitarian model designed primarily to create a workforce for administrative roles. In response, the leaders of independent India laid the foundation for scientific and industrial progress by establishing institutions of excellence such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Central Universities, and other premier institutions.
With the implementation of numerous policies, legislations, and reforms over the years, India’s education sector has witnessed significant expansion and transformation. The summary of these measures as highlighted in the reported as follows:
| Year/Period | Key Milestones |
| 1947 (Post-Independence) | India had only 17 universities and 636 colleges serving 2.38 lakh students. The literacy rate was 14%, and education spending was less than 0.5% of national income. Higher education was limited to a few elite institutions. Therefore, there was an urgent need for reforms in higher education, and accordingly, commissions were set up to guide the transition from colonial to independent governance in education |
| 1948-49 (Radhakrishnan Commission) | Recommended that universities focus on teaching and research rather than just affiliation. Proposed University Grants Commission (UGC) for funding and regulation (established in 1956). Advocated for education in regional languages to improve accessibility. Therefore, it shifted higher education policy towards quality and national standards by strengthening the role of universities, |
| 1964-66 (Kothari Commission) | It focused on internal transformation, quality improvement, and expansion of education, and major structural reform of higher education by strengthening scientific and technical education. These introduced major structural reforms in higher education Recommended spending 6% of GDP on education (a goal still pursued today). Suggested the establishment of clusters of research centres and postgraduate training institutions. Together, these laid the foundation of the National Educational policy in 1968. |
| 1968 (First National Education Policy) | Introduced the 10+2+3 system, standardizing school and college education, and created a national framework for education. Promoted equal access to education, including for rural and marginalized communities. Initiated adult literacy programs and vocational training |
| Expanded distance and open learning, leading to institutions like IGNOU. It also recommended setting up State Higher Education Councils for better coordination. Facilitated private sector involvement in education | |
| 1992 (NEP 1986 Revisions) | Focused on improving faculty quality and infrastructure. Encouraged research and international collaboration in universities. Introduced accreditation and assessment mechanisms (e.g., NAAC in 1994). Strengthened the role of regulatory bodies like UGC and AICTE It marked the beginning of performance-based evaluation of institutions which also set the stage for privatization and autonomy of institutions. |
| 2005-2019 (Globalization & Reform Phase) | The National Knowledge Commission (2005) proposed expanding higher education and increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). Committee on Higher Education (2009) suggested making universities multidisciplinary innovation hubs. Technology-driven education was also introduced (online courses, digital platforms) Higher education system expanded rapidly with the rise of private universities and international collaborations. The government encouraged foreign collaborations and industry partnerships |
| 2020-Present (NEP 2020) | Focuses on multidisciplinary and holistic education. Emphasized credit-based learning (Academic Bank of Credits – ABC) and multiple entry-exit options. Established Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) for research funding. Encourages internationalization of Indian universities. Focussed on quality, employability, and digital learning for future growth |
By highlighting these trends in the progress and expansion of the education sector, the report emphasizes that for India to achieve its vision of becoming a developed nation, higher education must be at the core of its development strategy. No country has attained developed status without a strong and dynamic higher education system, and India is no exception.
This is particularly relevant for SPUs, which account for 81% of total higher education enrolments and oversee thousands of affiliated colleges. Given their scale and reach, SPUs have the potential to play a transformative role in nation-building by providing quality education to crores of students and equipping them with the skills necessary for India’s growth and development.
Since 2010-11, the number of universities offering higher education grew at an average of 50 each year
The report examined the historical growth in the number of universities offering higher education, recognizing their crucial role in expanding access to learning opportunities. In 1950-51, there were only 30 universities in India. However, with the introduction of various policies and reforms, this number steadily increased to 55 by 1960-61, 133 in 1980-81, 256 in 2000-01, and 621 in 2010-11. By 2021-22, the number of universities had grown to 1,168 which is an 88% increase compared to 2010-11, with an average of fifty new universities being established each year.
Analysis of the data between 2010-11 and 2021-22, the report noted a decline in the number of open and deemed universities, while other categories saw growth. Significantly, as of 2021-22, State Public Universities (SPUs) make up only 36% of all universities but account for a staggering 81% of higher education enrolments. This stark contrast underscores the need to boost enrolment across other HEIs to ensure a more balanced and inclusive expansion of higher education.
The report also highlights that despite the rapid rise in the number of universities, their distribution across states remains uneven. As of 2021-22, the national average in density of universities, calculated as number of universities per lakh eligible population in the age group of 18-23 years, is 0.8 universities.
This density is higher among the less populated states with Sikkim at 10.3 universities per lakh population, and lower than the national average in the highly populated states such as Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Bihar had only 0.2 universities per lakh population. Given these disparities, the report underscores the need for more equitable access to higher education across states to ensure balanced educational opportunities nationwide.
Despite improvement, the enrolment ratio in Higher Education continues to remain low
The report defines GER as the number of students enrolled in higher education, which is expressed as a percentage of the eligible population within the 18-to-23-year age group. According to the report, the GER in 1950-51 stood at a mere 0.4%. By 2001-02, this figure had risen to 8%, marking significant progress. While there has been a steady increase in GER each year since then, the GER for higher education as of 2021-22 remains at just 28.4%
The literacy rate, on the other hand, is determined based on the official definition – “A person aged seven and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language is considered literate.”
As per this definition, the literacy rate in India for 2023-24 stands at 81%. This means that 81% of the population aged seven years and above are literate, though this does not imply that they have attained undergraduate or higher qualifications. The report itself highlights a stark contrast—only 28% of the eligible population (or 28,000 individuals per lakh in the 18-23 age group) are enrolling in higher education. This disparity underscores the vast gap between the official literacy rate and the actual number of individuals pursuing higher education
GPI Sees Progress, but PTR and Financial Support Lag Behind
Apart from university density, GER, and growth in the education sector, the report also analysed other important parameters and highlighted pertinent issues.
Gender Parity Index (GPI): On a positive note, the national GPI, calculated by dividing the total female student population by the total male student population, for students enrolled in higher education has improved from 0.87 in 2011-12 to 1.01 in 2021-22, showing a 16% improvement in a decade. As in the case of university density, and GER, the GPI showed variation among states with some states having higher GPI than the national average, while others lower than the national average. States of Kerala and Himachal Pradesh had the highest GPI with 1.44 and 1.33, respectively, while Odisha and Tripura had the lowest with 0.89 and 0.88, respectively.
People to Teacher Ratio (PTR): The report noted that the ‘People to Teacher Ratio’ (PTR), calculated by dividing the total number of students enrolled by the total number of teachers at a particular level of education, is a significant indicator of education quality. At the national level, the PTR has been constant at 23 over the last 4-5 years. It also varies across states, with some achieving ideal PTR while others are facing challenges in maintaining a basic standard.
Finance: Though India has one of the largest education budgets among emerging economies, HEIs are not adequately financed. The overall expenditure on education is at 4.64 of GDP but still falls short of the 6%, which was recommended nearly 6 decades ago. The per capita government expenditure on higher education is only about USD 30, which is lower than most developed and emerging countries. The per capita expenditure of the USA is over 35 times that of India. Brazil, a peer BRICS nation, has a higher education budget of 2.6 times India’s.
In the next story, we shall examine trends in the growth of the number of SPUs, the student enrolments in them, and key recommendations made for their excellence.
