Understanding the Gross Enrolment Ratio in Higher Education: Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes

A Comprehensive Analysis and Implications for India based on AISHE 2020-21 Data

Introduction

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is a crucial indicator used to measure the level of participation in higher education in India. It represents the percentage of the eligible population enrolled in higher education institutions. The GER serves as a valuable tool to assess the accessibility, inclusivity, and overall progress of the education system in India.

This article undertakes the analysis of the GER for 2020-21 based on the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) data, focusing on its significance, implications, and conclusion by analyzing overall as well as GER in the case of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population both at the all India and state levels. Incidentally, 2020-21 is the year GER is the latest available. Though improved, one still does not claim that all higher education institutions got covered under AISHE 2020-21.

Overview of the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)

As specified above, the GER is calculated by dividing the total enrollment in higher education by the corresponding eligible population (18 to 23 years) and multiplying it by 100. It provides insights into the magnitude of educational opportunities available to the people, reflecting the level of access to higher education. However, the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) indicates that the total enrollment in a particular education group, irrespective of age, is expressed as a percentage of the eligible official school-age population (18 to 23 years) in a year. By looking at GER, one can understand the participation rate in higher education in different States/UTs of India. Based on the data availability, the GER may be computed for All Categories: Boys and girls together, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST) segment of the population, which helps understand the disparities in educational attainment among diverse social groups.

Analysis of the GER at the All India and State Level

According to the AISHE data for 2021-22, the All India GER stands at 27.3 percent, which indicates that approximately 27.3 percent of the eligible clientele population was enrolled in higher education institutions in 2020-21. The GER for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is 23.1 percent and 18.9 percent, respectively, highlighting the existing gaps in educational opportunities among different social groups.

Gross Enrolment Ratio: 2021-22 based on AISHE, Ministry of Education
Sl. No.	State/UTs	All Categories			Scheduled Castes			Scheduled Tribes
		Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
1	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	21.6	27.1	24.3				10.3	16.0	13.1
2	Andhra Pradesh	38.3	36.0	37.2	34.0	33.2	33.6	34.1	29.6	31.8
3	Arunachal Pradesh	34.7	32.8	33.7				35.2	34.0	34.6
4	Assam	16.8	18.4	17.5	17.0	19.0	17.9	23.8	25.6	24.7
5	Bihar	16.6	15.1	15.9	13.3	9.7	11.5	22.0	17.4	19.7
6	Chandigarh	57.8	77.0	66.1	53.3	50.4	51.9
7	Chhatisgarh	18.0	21.3	19.6	18.3	20.4	19.4	12.0	16.2	14.1
8	Delhi	46.7	48.5	47.6	26.3	23.8	25.1
9	Goa	30.8	37.3	33.8	51.1	39.0	45.1	24.2	31.9	28.1
10	Gujarat	23.6	20.6	22.2	30.1	26.7	28.5	17.7	17.9	17.8
11	Haryana	28.9	33.7	31.1	20.5	23.8	22.0
12	Himachal Pradesh	33.5	44.7	38.7	24.8	33.5	28.9	35.4	44.2	39.7
13	Jammu and Kashmir	23.0	27.2	25.0	15.4	19.4	17.3	17.1	15.7	16.5
14	Jharkhand	16.5	17.5	17.0	13.4	12.6	13.0	11.6	13.2	12.4
15	Karnataka	34.8	37.2	36.0	25.3	25.9	25.6	23.2	23.6	23.4
16	Kerala	34.5	52.3	43.2	23.4	44.6	33.7	23.1	35.1	29.1
17	Ladakh	5.4	11.9	8.4	0.0	266.7	17.4	6.1	12.4	9.3
18	Lakshadweep	3.3	11.4	7.2				1.9	7.0	4.4
19	Madhya Pradesh	27.3	26.8	27.1	25.5	25.8	25.6	15.3	16.1	15.7
20	Maharashtra	36.2	33.5	34.9	34.6	33.1	33.9	18.6	14.4	16.5
21	Manipur	36.9	38.6	37.8	79.2	68.9	74.2	18.5	20.0	19.2
22	Meghalaya	22.6	29.0	25.8	164.5	155.0	160.1	18.7	25.5	22.1
23	Mizoram	26.2	27.5	26.8	163.9	168.2	165.4	26.3	27.5	26.9
24	Nagaland	15.4	19.3	17.3				15.2	18.9	17.0
25	Odisha	21.3	20.1	20.7	21.4	18.4	20.0	14.2	12.8	13.5
26	Puducherry	60.3	61.1	60.8	45.5	45.6	45.6
27	Punjab	23.9	29.1	26.3	14.3	21.3	17.5
28	Rajasthan	26.1	26.0	26.1	22.9	22.6	22.8	22.8	23.8	23.3
29	Sikkim	36.3	44.0	39.9	41.2	36.6	38.8	28.8	41.6	35.1
30	Tamil Nadu	45.4	48.6	46.9	34.7	38.9	36.8	42.9	38.2	40.6
31	Telangana	37.4	40.9	39.1	31.8	39.3	35.4	34.2	33.3	33.7
32	The Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu	7.9	15.6	10.4	22.6	30.4	26.1	6.3	7.5	6.9
33	Tripura	20.0	18.4	19.2	16.9	15.8	16.3	14.0	12.4	13.2
34	Uttar Pradesh	22.3	24.3	23.2	18.5	21.9	20.1	39.8	44.2	42.0
35	Uttrakhand	42.8	48.9	45.7	31.7	39.6	35.4	46.6	52.0	49.2
36	West Bengal	20.3	22.3	21.3	16.7	17.5	17.1	11.5	11.8	11.6
All India		26.7	27.9	27.3	22.4	23.9	23.1	18.8	19.1	18.9

  Source: AISHE 2020-21, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India.

The analysis in the case of a few selected states is presented below:

Andaman & Nicobar Islands: The overall GER for all categories is 24.3 percent, with higher enrollment among females (27.1 percent) compared to males (21.6 percent).

Andhra Pradesh: The overall GER is 37.2 percent, with slightly higher male enrollment. Among social categories, Scheduled Castes have a somewhat lower GER than the overall average.

Arunachal Pradesh: The overall GER is 33.7 percent, with no significant gender difference. Scheduled Tribes have a slightly higher GER than the overall average.

Assam: The overall GER is 17.5 percent, with higher enrollment among females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have a lower GER than the overall average.

Bihar: The overall GER is 15.9 percent, with higher enrollment among males. Enrollment among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is lower than the overall average.

Chandigarh: Chandigarh has a high overall GER of 66.1 percent. Enrollment is significantly higher among females.

Chhattisgarh: The overall GER is 19.6 percent. Enrollment is slightly higher among females.

Delhi: Delhi has a high overall GER of 47.6 percent. Enrollment is slightly higher among females.

Goa: The overall GER is 33.8 percent, with higher enrollment among females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have lower GER compared to the overall average.

Gujarat: The overall GER is 22.2 percent, with slightly higher male enrollment.

Madhya Pradesh: The overall GER is 27.1 percent. Enrollment is slightly higher among males. Both Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have a lower GER compared to the overall average.

Rajasthan: The overall GER is 26.1 percent. Enrollment is slightly higher among males. Both Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have a lower GER compared to the overall average.

Uttar Pradesh: The overall GER is 23.2 percent, with slightly higher enrollment among females. Scheduled Castes have a higher GER than the overall average, while Scheduled Tribes have a much higher GER.

Kerala: The overall GER is 43.2 percent, with significantly higher enrollment among females. Kerala has one of the highest GERs in the country.

West Bengal: The overall GER is 21.3 percent, with slightly higher enrollment among females. Both Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have a lower GER compared to the overall average.

Karnataka: The overall GER is 36.0 percent, with slightly higher enrollment among females.

Himachal Pradesh: The overall GER is 38.7 percent, with significantly higher enrollment among females. Enrollment is higher among Scheduled Tribes compared to Scheduled Castes.

Tamil Nadu: The overall GER is 46.9 percent, with higher enrollment among females. Tamil Nadu has a relatively high GER.

At the state level, disparities in GER have been observed. States like Tamil Nadu and Sikkim have higher GERs, indicating better access to higher education, while states like Bihar and Assam have lower GERs, suggesting the need for interventions to increase participation. Rajasthan and Telangana also show relatively high GER in higher education, offering a reasonable participation rate amongst the 18-23 age group. The Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman, and Diu regions show a much lower GER value, suggesting a low participation rate in higher education.

Comparing categories, we also observe that most states have a different enrollment ratio for All categories, Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled Castes. The variation may indicate differences in the availability and accessibility of education for these categories. However, it would be better if GER by gender, socio-economic background, and urban/rural divide were also analyzed, as it would provide a more comprehensive look. Understanding these variations can help policymakers identify areas requiring targeted efforts to ensure equitable access to higher education for all, but detailed data about these aspects is unavailable from the AISHE.

In conclusion, the analysis of the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) data for the academic year 2021-22 in various States & Union Territories of India reveals several important insights:

Gender Disparities: Across most states, there is a trend of higher enrollment among females, indicating positive progress towards gender inclusivity in higher education. However, this trend is not uniform, and some states still exhibit disparities between male and female enrollment.

Regional Variation: GER varies significantly from state to state. States like Chandigarh, Delhi, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have notably high GERs, while others like Bihar and Assam have relatively lower enrollment rates.

Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes: In many states, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes tend to have lower GERs than the overall average, suggesting the need for targeted initiatives to improve access and participation among these marginalized communities.

State-Specific Considerations: States like Uttar Pradesh have significantly higher GERs among Scheduled Tribes, indicating potential improvements in access for these communities. In contrast, states like Kerala and Himachal Pradesh demonstrate high GERs overall and among females, reflecting relatively better access to higher education.

Policy Implications: Policymakers may use this data to design region-specific strategies to enhance higher education access, reduce gender disparities, and address the educational needs of marginalized communities. Efforts should be made towards increasing female enrollment in states that lag behind male enrollment to ensure that India attains a 50 percent GER at higher education by 2023, as envisaged in NEP 2020.

Overall Progress: The data shows that while there are variations, higher education enrollment in India is progressing positively. Improving access and ensuring inclusivity in higher education are vital for the nation’s socio-economic development.

Implications of the GER

The GER has crucial implications for various aspects of the Indian education system, which are listed below:

Equity and Inclusivity: A higher GER signifies increased access to higher education, promoting social equity and inclusion. Lower GERs among marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes highlight the need for targeted efforts to bridge the educational divide.

Human Capital Development: Higher GERs result in the development of a skilled workforce, contributing to national economic growth and productivity. By expanding the GER, India can tap into the potential of its youth, empowering them to contribute effectively to the country’s development.

Educational Infrastructure & Resources: Analyzing the GER helps identify regions with low enrolment rates, enabling policymakers to allocate resources and develop infrastructure to enhance educational opportunities.

Policy Formulation: The GER is a critical input for policy formulation in higher education. It assists policymakers in identifying gaps, devising strategies, and implementing targeted interventions to ensure quality education and increased enrolment.

Concluding Observations

Analyzing the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education based on the AISHE 2020-21 data provides valuable insights into higher education participation in India. Several key conclusions emerge from this comprehensive examination:

1. Diverse Educational Landscape: India’s higher education landscape is diverse, with significant variations in GER across states. While some states demonstrate high GERs, indicating better access to higher education, others lag, underscoring the need for region-specific strategies.
2. Gender Inclusivity: Most states have a positive trend towards higher female enrollment in higher education. However, gender disparities persist in some regions, necessitating continued efforts to achieve gender parity.
3. Marginalized Communities: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes generally exhibit lower GERs than the overall average in many states; this highlights the importance of targeted initiatives to bridge educational gaps and enhance access for these marginalized communities.
4. Policy Imperatives: The GER data serves as a critical input for policy formulation in higher education. Policymakers can use this data to identify gaps, allocate resources, and implement targeted interventions to improve educational quality and increase enrollment.
5. National Development: A higher GER signifies increased access to higher education and contributes to the development of a skilled workforce, fostering economic growth and productivity.
6. Equitable Access: Promoting equity and inclusivity in higher education is essential for the nation’s socio-economic development. Targeted efforts are required to ensure that all population segments have equal access to educational opportunities.

In conclusion, the GER analysis underscores the significance of equitable access to higher education in India. It calls for a concerted effort to reduce disparities, promote inclusivity, and enhance the overall quality of higher education. Recognizing the implications of GER, India can empower its youth, tap into their potential, and contribute effectively to the country’s socio-economic development, aligning with the goals outlined in the National Education Policy 2020.

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