Why in News?

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Education released the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-21 report.

What’s in today’s article?

• About All India Survey on Higher Education Report (Purpose, Categorization)
• Key Highlights of AISHE 2020-21 Report

About All India Survey on Higher Education Report:

• The AISHE report is being published by the Ministry of Education since 2011.
• Objective – Identify & capture all the institutions of higher learning in the country.
• For the purpose of this Survey, Higher Education is defined as the education, which is obtained after completing 12 years of schooling or equivalent.
• For the purpose of the All-India Survey on Higher Education, all the institutions of higher learning in the country have been divided in 3 categories –
  • Category I: University & University Level Institutions
  • Category II: Colleges/ Institutions affiliated to University
  • Category III: Institutions NOT affiliated to University called Standalone Institutions
• The survey collects detailed information on different parameters such as student enrollment, teacher’s data, infrastructural information, financial information etc.

Key Highlights of All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-21:

• Number of Institutions –
  • The total number of Universities/University level institutions registered is 1,113, Colleges 43,796 and Standalone Institutions 11,296.
  • Since 2014-15, there has been increase of 353 Universities (46.4%).
  • The Institutes of National Importance (INIs) have almost doubled from 75 in 2014-15 to 149 in 2020-21.
  • 191 new Higher Education Institutions have been established in North Eastern States since 2014-15.
  • Highest number of universities is in Rajasthan (92), Uttar Pradesh (84) and Gujarat (83).
  • Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat are top 8 States in terms of number of colleges.
  • 43% universities and 61.4% colleges are located in Rural Areas.
• Student Enrolment –
  • The total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 crore in 2020-21 from 3.85 crore in 2019-20.
  • The percentage of female enrolment to total enrolment has increased from 45% in 2014-15 to around 49% in 2020-21.
  • The survey also highlighted an increase in enrolment of Schedule Caste (SC) students to 58.9 lakh in comparison to 56.5 lakh in 2019-20 and 46 lakh in 2014-15.
  • The enrolment of students belonging to the Schedule Tribe (ST) increased to 24.1 lakh in 2020-21 from 21.6 lakh in 2019-20 and 16.4 lakh in 2014-15.
  • The total Student Enrolment in North East States is 12.06 Lakh in 2020-21 as compared to 9.36 Lakh in 2014-15.
  • As per response in AISHE 2020-21, about 79.06% of the total students are enrolled in undergraduate level courses and 11.5% are enrolled in postgraduate level courses.
  • Of the total enrolment, 55.5 Lakh students are enrolled in Science Stream, with female students (29.5 Lakh) out numbering male students (26 Lakh).
• Faculty –
  • The total number of faculty/teachers are 15,51,070 of which about 57.1% are male and 42.9% are female.
  • The female per 100 male faculty has improved to 75 in 2020-21 from 74 in 2019-20 and 63 in 2014-15.