249 new universities in 5 years: How are universities growing in India?

NEW DELHI: Over the five years between 2016-17 and 2020-21, the total number of universities in India, public and private, has risen 29% with 249 new universities established, as per the report of All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-21, the latest one available. The maximum number of new universities – 90 – were established 2018-19.

The growth in private universities has far outstripped that in public ones. The AISHE report shows that 58 new state public universities came up over 2016-21, a fraction of the 132 new state private universities. Despite this, public universities still account for over 70% of enrollment.

Enrolment in higher education has risen by 28.8 lakh since 2019-20, totalling 3.85 crore in 2019-20 and 4.13 crore in 2020-21. Over five years, between 2016-17 and 2020-21, it rose by 56.7 lakh.

Further, enrolment of women students in higher education has risen 20% from 2016-17 to 2020-21; that of Dalit students (Scheduled Caste) has risen 15%; of tribal students (Scheduled Tribes), 30%; and Other Backward Classes (OBC), 20%.

AISHE: More universities, women’s institutions

Out of 1,113 universities up by 2020-21, 657 were government managed – 235 central government and 422 state government – 10 were private deemed (aided), and 446, private unaided.

A total of 132 new state private universities have come up from 2016-17 to 2020-21 and 58 new state public universities. Plus, 49 national institutes of importance; seven new central universities and one government run deemed-to-be-university have been added.

Total number of universities between 2016-17 and 2020-21

According to the AISHE, out of the 1,113 universities in 2020-21, there were 16 open universities, including one central, one state private and 14 public state open universities. There 112 dual mode ones.

Of the total in 2020-21, 17 universities were exclusively for women with two each in Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttarakhand. This total was 11 in 2014-15; from 2014-15 to 2020-21, six new universities exclusively for women were established.

Amongst all states, Rajasthan has the most universities, 92, in 2021.

Out of 1,099 universities which responded to the AISHE 2020-21, 56% were general in nature; 17% technical; 6% agriculture; 6% medical; and 5% management-focused institutions

However, three union territories including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep had no university.

Most students in government universities

The AISHE report highlights that total enrolment in higher education across universities has increased by 28.80 lakh, from 3.85 crore in 2019-20 to 4.13 crore in 2020-21. Despite the spike in the number of private institutions, the vast majority of Indian students, 73.1%, still attend government universities, mostly state-run. Government aided and private universities account for 26.3% of total enrolment.

Where students study: Enrolment by university type (2016-21)

The state open universities’ enrollment was 10 lakh in 2016-17 and rose to 15 lakh in 2020-21.

Enrollment in state private universities has increased 92%. In 2016-17, state private university enrolment was 7.6 lakh. It grew to 14 lakh in five years.

Enrollment in central universities has decreased from 7.1 lakh in 2016-17 to 7 lakh in 2020-21.

Enrolment in state public universities has fluctuated. In 2016-17, overall enrollment was around 2.7 crore. However, in 2017-18, it fell to 2.5 crore and further to 2.3 crore in 2018-19. But it rose again in 2019-20 and 2020-21 with 2.5 crore and 2.7 crore.

Gross enrollment ratio

The gross enrolment ratio (GER) in 2020-21 was 27.3, an increase of 1.7 over the previous year. The GER is the proportion of students enrolled in higher education out of the total population of youths in the college-going age group. For AISHE, GER is calculated for the age group of 18-23.

In 2020-21, GER among males was 26.7, and among females, 27.9.

In 2020-21, Chandigarh had the highest GER with 66.1 followed by Puducherry with 60.8 and Delhi with 47.6. But among the large states, Tamil Nadu had the highest GER – 46.9.

Course-wise enrollments

Integrated programmes saw enrolment rise 211% – only 17,000 students opted for them in 2016-17 compared to the 3.8 lakh in 2020-21. This is also a reflection of the increase in the number of integrated courses on offer.

In postgraduate courses, enrollment increased by 20%; in undergraduate courses, by 15%. Enrolment in diplomas rose 14%.

Enrolment by programme (2016-2021)

SC-ST, women’s enrolment

In 2020-21, the student population in higher education was 51.3% male and 48.7% female. However, even by 2020-21, representation of historically-marginalised communities didn’t match the proportion of seats reserved for them in public institutions, except in the case of the Other Backward Classes. SC enrolment was 14.2%; 5.8% students were tribal or ST; and 35.8% were from OBCs.

In postgraduate courses, enrollment increased by 20%; in undergraduate courses, by 15%. Enrolment in diplomas rose 14%.

Enrolment by gender, category (2016-21)

The enrollment of women has increased by 20 percent from 2016-17 to 2020-21. Enrolment of Dalits has risen 15%; of Adivasis, 30%; and of OBCs, by 20% over the same period.

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan are the top 10 states contributing to 53.17 percent of the total student enrolment