A recent analysis of data from the All India Survey of Higher Education has revealed a significant shift in enrolment patterns in Indian universities, underscoring a trend towards privatisation and a concomitant squeeze on public investment in higher education, reports Maktoob.
From 2014-15 to 2021-22, the overall enrolment in universities increased by 50.9%. However, this growth has not been uniform across different types of institutions.
Public universities, traditionally the cornerstone of higher education in India, have seen a modest increase in enrolment of just 14.9%, contributing 16.4% to the aggregate university enrolment growth. Within public universities, state public universities showed a 15.7% increase, while central universities stagnated with a mere 4.1% rise.
Public open universities, in contrast, saw an impressive 87.8% growth, accounting for 44% of the increase in aggregate enrolment.
Private universities, on the other hand, have expanded at a much faster rate. The overall enrolment in private universities surged by 108.7%, contributing 39.6% to the increase in aggregate enrolment. Notably, regular state private universities experienced a staggering 191.1% increase, while deemed private universities grew by 35.6%.
University World News
