Analyzing Scheduled Castes Higher Education Enrolment in India based on AISHE 2020-21 Data (2023)

Introduction

In the landscape of higher education in India, the representation of marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Castes (SC), stands as a vital measure of inclusivity and social progress. This article delves deeper into enrollment data of SC individuals in higher education across various states and union territories in India for the academic year 2020-21. The data source is the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-21 report by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, capturing the percentage share of SC enrolment.

Data Source and Limitations

The enrollment data utilized in the present article at the higher education level is obtained from the official website of AISHE for 2020-21, reflecting SC enrollment percentages compared to their population share based on the 2011 Census. However, it is observed that the AISHE is the only source of enrollment data at the higher education level in India, which the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education maintains. Acknowledging the limitations arising from potential shifts in population dynamics is crucial, but the  2021 Census is yet to be conducted; given this, the share of SC to the total population may not remain valid in 2023. Enrolment in 2020-21 has also been calculated with the same in the previous year.

	Table 1: Higher Education Enrolment: Total & Scheduled Castes, 2020-21
Year	Total Higher Education Enrolment			Scheduled Castes Enrolment
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
2019-20	19643747	18892612	38536359	2854313	2803359	5657672
2020-21	21237910	20142803	41380713	2993521	2901179	5894700
Change in Enrolment
Absolute	1594163	1250191	2844354	139208	97820	237028
%Change over the Previous Year	8.12	6.62	7.38	4.88	3.49	4.19
2019-20	%age to Total HE Enrolment			14.53	14.84	14.68
2020-21				14.10	13.66	14.25
Source: Calculated based on AISHE 2020-21 Report.

All India Level Analysis

The data shows that SC individuals comprised 14.25 percent of the total higher education enrolment at the national level. In absolute terms, this constituted 58,947,00 SC enrolments out of 41,380,713 students in 2020-21. Breaking this down by gender, SC males constituted 29,935,21 (14.10 percent), while SC females constituted 29,011,79 (14.40 percent) out of 41,380,713 students. Comparing the SC population share (16.63 percent) according to the 2011 Census with the SC enrolment percentages reveals intriguing disparities. SC females, with a 14.10 percent enrolment rate, are closer to their population share (16.63 percent) than SC males, who stand at 13.66 percent.

Suppose we compare enrolment of Scheduled Castes in 2019-20; the same reveals that it increased by 4.88, 3.49, and 4.19 percent in 2020-21, respectively, in the case of Males, Females, and Total higher education enrolment. In absolute terms, the same has increased by  139208 males, 97820 females, and by 237028 in the case of the total enrolment.

Table 2: Percentage of Higher Education  Enrolment  Distributed by  Social Groups: AISHE 2020-21, Scheduled Castes
State/UT	All Categories			Scheduled Castes			Percent Share of SC to Total Population, 2011
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
A & N Islands	5534	6431	11965	0.58	0.27	0.39	Nil
Andhra Pradesh	1056065	931553	1987618	16.27	15.18	16.71	16.41
Arunachal Pradesh	31465	28270	59735	2.13	1.29	1.80	Nil
Assam	341985	355108	697093	7.95	7.83	7.74	7.15
Bihar	1309402	1051539	2360941	11.64	8.03	10.91	15.91
Chandigarh	54809	55656	110465	16.96	13.76	15.24	18.86
Chhattisgarh	302840	350565	653405	13.69	14.68	13.15	12.82
Delhi	564849	541422	1106271	10.31	9.04	9.88	16.75
9      Goa	29404	30881	60285	3.06	2.29	2.61	1.74
Gujarat	938144	714986	1653130	9.04	7.03	9.12	6.74
Haryana	517813	511346	1029159	15.09	14.70	14.99	20.17
Himachal Pradesh	133196	156389	289585	19.06	23.27	19.47	25.19
Jammu and Kashmir	193476	205378	398854	5.45	6.15	5.63	7.38
Jharkhand	393349	393338	786687	9.69	8.46	9.08	12.08
Karnataka	1223601	1216836	2440437	12.89	12.60	12.78	17.15
Kerala	559625	804911	1364536	6.16	11.10	7.08	9.1
Ladakh	1108	2039	3147	0.00	1.44	0.51	NA
Lakshadweep	133	427	560	0.00	0.00	0.00	Nil
Madhya Pradesh	1374036	1224525	2598561	15.30	13.45	15.20	15.62
Maharashtra	2491897	2054252	4546149	11.65	10.26	12.01	11.81
Manipur	68916	69583	138499	7.41	6.14	6.74	3.78
Meghalaya	43104	54480	97584	4.90	3.94	3.91	0.58
Mizoram	19201	19509	38710	1.04	0.58	0.80	0.11
Nagaland	21750	25204	46954	1.28	1.22	1.16	Nil
Odisha	525883	481139	1007022	17.69	14.76	16.94	17.13
Puducherry	43187	48066	91253	13.16	14.63	13.15	15.73
Punjab	418244	415091	833335	19.89	24.58	22.32	31.94
Rajasthan	1278304	1154486	2432790	16.39	14.14	16.04	17.83
Sikkim	16707	18067	34774	5.14	4.63	4.69	4.63
Tamil Nadu	1662153	1674286	3336439	16.55	17.93	17.18	20.01
Telangana	775309	798477	1573786	13.80	16.04	14.70	NA
D & N & D & D	5948	5622	11570	3.88	4.22	4.17	2.52
Tripura	48428	44232	92660	16.43	14.55	16.19	17.83
Uttar Pradesh	3397012	3254055	6651067	16.94	17.10	17.39	20.70
Uttarakhand	304850	315301	620151	14.02	15.83	14.67	18.76
West Bengal	1086183	1129353	2215536	17.80	18.09	17.59	23.51
All India	21237910	20142803	41380713	14.10	13.66	14.25	16.63
Source: AISHE 2020-21, Ministry of Education, Government of India. NA: Not Available. Share of Population is of 2011 Census

Comparative Analysis – SC Share in Population vs. Enrolment in Higher Education

As per the  Census 2011, the SC population share stood at 16.63 percent. Comparing this with the SC enrolment percentage (14.25 percent) highlights a disparity. While SCs form 16.63 percent of the population, their representation in higher education stands at 14.25 percent, indicating an underrepresentation in this educational sphere at the national level.

State-Specific Analysis

Delving into state-specific analyses reveals intriguing disparities. Some states exhibit lower SC enrolment percentages compared to their population share. For example, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh display SC enrolment percentages (22.32 percent and 17.39 percent) far below their population share (31.94 percent and 20.7 percent, respectively). States like Kerala also reflect lower SC enrolment percentages (7.08 percent) than their population share, 9.1 percent. Another major state, Bihar, has a low enrollment rate at the higher education level (10.91 percent) compared to its population share of 15.91 percent. On the other hand, a few states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, registered higher enrolment at higher education levels compared to their share of the SC population.

Analysis and Concerns

The comparison between SC population share and enrolment percentage reveals varying underrepresentation or overrepresentation across states. While SC females are relatively closer to their population share in higher education, SC males show a notable gap. Factors contributing to this could include socio-economic disparities, cultural norms, and access to educational opportunities.

Factors contributing to these disparities may include socio-economic barriers, regional educational infrastructure, and community-specific challenges.

Recent Initiatives and Policy Measures

Recent initiatives encompass targeted scholarships, affirmative action policies in educational institutions, and community-specific outreach programs. These aim to bridge the gap and uplift SC representation in higher education. However, sustained efforts are needed to address the factors contributing to these disparities. However, without improving the participation of Scheduled Castes children at the school education level and improving the efficiency at this level, SC enrollment at the higher education level is not expected to grow independently of the school education.

Recent initiatives encompass gender-sensitive scholarships, targeted mentorship programs, and awareness campaigns to enhance SC female representation in higher education. However, targeted efforts focusing on SC males are essential to bridging the gap.

Conclusion and Policy Implications

In conclusion, while the enrolment of SC individuals in higher education showcases progress, the disparities between SC population share and enrolment percentages persist. Strategic policies should focus on enhancing accessibility, quality education, and awareness among marginalized communities. Additionally, including updated census data in longitudinal studies will provide a more precise understanding of effective policy formulation. Upholding equality in higher education demands concerted efforts and evidence-based strategies to ensure proportional representation and inclusivity for all communities, particularly Scheduled Castes, across India’s educational landscape. Policy implications may include the following:

• Strengthening outreach and mentorship programs targeting SC communities.
• Improving educational infrastructure in underserved regions.
• Enhancing scholarship and financial aid schemes to facilitate higher education access.
• Gender-specific outreach and mentorship programs targeting SC males and females.
• Strengthening educational infrastructure in regions with gender-specific disparities.
• Enhancing scholarships and financial aid schemes focusing on gender parity within the SC community.

Achieving equity in higher education necessitates concerted efforts and gender-sensitive strategies to ensure proportional representation and inclusivity for all genders within Scheduled Castes across India’s educational spectrum. It is also equally important to examine the participation of other population segments, such as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, who share in the higher education enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does the percentage of SC enrolment in higher education represent?

• The percentage of SC enrollment in higher education reflects the proportion of Scheduled Castes individuals enrolled in higher education compared to the total higher education enrollment in India.

2. How is the SC enrolment percentage calculated?

• The share of the SC enrolment is calculated by dividing the total number of SC enrolments in higher education by the total enrolment across the country, multiplied by 100.

3. What is the significance of comparing SC population share to enrolment percentages?

• Comparing SC population share to enrolment percentages helps identify disparities in representation. If the SC population share is higher than the enrolment percentage, it indicates underrepresentation and vice versa.

4. Why might there be variations in SC enrolment percentages across states?

• Variations can be influenced by socio-economic factors, educational infrastructure, accessibility to quality education, and regional disparities in policies promoting SC enrolment.

5. How does gender impact SC enrolment in higher education?

• Gender plays a role in SC enrolment disparities. Analyzing SC enrolment by gender reveals differing representations, highlighting potential areas where either males or females might be underrepresented in higher education.

6. What are recent initiatives addressing SC enrolment disparities?

• Recent initiatives include targeted scholarships, affirmative action policies, community-specific outreach programs, and gender-sensitive strategies aiming to bridge the gap in SC enrolment.

7. How can policy implications address SC enrolment disparities?

• Policy implications focus on enhancing accessibility, quality education, and awareness among SC communities. Gender-specific approaches, infrastructure improvement, and tailored scholarships are vital strategies.

8. What are the limitations in analyzing SC enrolment data?

• Limitations might arise from the use of census data from 2011, potentially not reflecting current population dynamics. Additionally, the data might not capture all factors contributing to enrolment disparities.