The Ministry of Education on Thursday released the latest edition of All India Survey on Higher Education 2019-20. The total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 3.85 crore including 1.9 crore male and 1.89 crore female students.

The survey, an annual web-based exercise carried out since 2010-11, shows Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education in India is 27.1, which is calculated for 18-23 age group. GER for males is 26.9 and females 27.3. For Scheduled Castes, it is 23.4; Scheduled Tribes, 18 as compared to the national GER of 27.1.

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said that in the last five years between 2015-16 and 2019-20, there has been a growth of 11.4 per cent in the student enrolment. The rise in female enrolment in higher education during the period is 18.2 per cent.

The report said the number of institutions of national importance have increased to 135 from 75 previously.

Out of the total enrolment of 3 crore, about 80 per cent, are enrolled in under graduate courses. Maharashtra topped in the enrolment in universities (including constituent units) with 9.67 lakh students, followed by Tamil Nadu with 9.26 lakh and Delhi with 8.16 lakh students.

PhD enrolment

At the post graduate level enrolment was 43.1 lakh and for Ph D 2.02 lakh students were registered, a 60 per cent increase. There is a small share of 26.73 lakh students, 6.9 per cent, enrolled for diploma courses mostly in teacher training, nursing and technical streams.

Teaching staff

Out of the total number of 15.03 lakh teachers 57.5 per cent are male and 42.5 per cent are female teachers. The lowest gender proportion is recorded in Bihar where female to male teachers ratio is 1:4.

Jharkhand comes close second with 69.5 per cent male teachers and 30.5 per cent female teachers. Uttar Pradesh has 31.9 per cent female teachers of the total teachers in the State. A few States like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Delhi and Goa on the other hand have more female teachers than male teachers.

The report said that 89 per cent of universities, 92 per cent of colleges and 91 per cent of standalone institutions are maintaining a playground. Around 94 per cent of universities, 98 per cent colleges and 98 per cent standalone institutions have library facility. Also, 85 per cent of universities have lab facilities, as also 82 per cent of colleges and 93 per cent of standalone institutions.