Government aims to raise GER in HEIs to 50%, says Dharmendra Pradhan at VCC in Gujarat

The Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said that the government is aiming to increase the gross enrollment ratio in higher educational institutions to 50% by 2035. He was speaking at the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference organised in collaboration with the Central University of Gujarat.

The ministry of education and the Central University of Gujarat have organised a Vice-Chancellors’ Conference today at Kevadia, Gujarat, which saw participation of over 50 VCs from central universities.

The two-day event aims to highlight the institutional progress of central universities in mapping up the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Participating vice chancellors will review, assess, and strategize the implementation of NEP 2020 since its inception.

Speaking at the event, Pradhan said: “In the last decade, India’s higher education ecosystem has undergone a fundamental transformation making it flexible, interdisciplinary, inclusive and innovation driven. As a result, total student enrolment has touched 4.46 crore, a 30% increase since 2014–15, female enrolment has grown by 38%, and female GER now exceeded male GER, Ph.D. enrolment has almost doubled, and female Ph.D. scholars have grown by 136%, GER for Scheduled Tribes has increased by 10 percentage points, for SCs by over 8 points.”

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The minister also stated that more than 1200 universities and 46,000 colleges have been established after the transformation, making “India one of the largest systems globally,” he added.

He further emphasised that the Panch Sanklapa of NEP 2020 will be the guideline for the VCs in their universities. Explaining the importance of raising GER in higher education to 50% by 2035, the union minister said: “To attain this objective, it was imperative for the Vice Chancellors to act as catalysts in shaping the mind-set and aspirations of students.

Explaining about students being the national strength for the future, Pradhan also said that the universities must follow the “Students-First” approach. They should be the centre of all reforms and VCs should ensure that the institutions must be built to focus on making a work force for job creators, social entrepreneurs and ethical innovators, he added.

University of Delhi, Central University of Haryana, Assam University, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Kashmir, Visva-Bharati, National Sanskrit University, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Sikkim University, Tripura University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), University of Allahabad, and many others took part in the event.

Two-Day VC Conference 2025: Important topics of discussion

The national conference will cover some important topics related to higher education including teaching, learning, research and governance. While other key points of discussion are given in the list below.

• Strategic Alignment
• Peer Learning and Knowledge Exchange
• Forward Planning and Readiness
• Understanding and Implementation of NHEQF/NCrF with focus on Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP)
• Future of Work
• Digital Education
• University Governance System
• Promotion of Equity in HEIs
• Education in Bhartiya Bhasha and Indian Knowledge System, Bhartiya Bhasa Pustak Scheme
• Research and Innovation including ANRF, CoE, PMRF
• Ranking and Accreditation System
• Internationalisation including Study in India
• Faculty Development