Context: AISHE 2023-24 undergraduate enrolment
The latest All India Survey on Higher Education 2023–24 reports a decline in undergraduate enrolment for the first time since 2011.
This has happened despite an overall rise in higher education enrolment and Gross Enrolment Ratio.
All India Survey on Higher Education
AISHE is an annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Education.
It is India’s key database on higher education and covers:
- Enrolment
- Institutions
- Faculty
- Infrastructure
- Educational outcomes
Important Data
Overall Higher Education Enrolment
- 4.50 crore
- Increased by 3.7 lakh
- Growth of 0.8% over 2022–23
Undergraduate Enrolment
- 3.45 crore
- Declined by 93,000
- Decline of 0.27%
- First decline since 2011
Gross Enrolment Ratio
- Increased from 29.5 to 30.02
Higher Education Institutions Covered
- Increased from 56,180 to 59,533
Gender-wise Trend
Male UG Enrolment
- Declined by 2.2%
Female UG Enrolment
- Increased by 1.8%
This means the overall UG decline is mainly because of a fall in male enrolment.
State-wise Trend
Largest Decline
- Maharashtra: -6%
- Uttar Pradesh: -3%
Largest Increase
- Tamil Nadu: +1.6 lakh
Programme-wise Trend
Decline was seen in:
- Arts
- Science
- Commerce
Medical Sciences registered a marginal increase.
Key Takeaway
The fall in UG enrolment is small in percentage terms, but important because it breaks a long trend of expansion in higher education.
