At 49%, TN is No 3 in Higher Education gross enrolment ratio, says report
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu emerges as the top performer among the big states in the country, in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, at 49%, according to the latest report of All India Survey on Higher Education 2018-19 (AISHE).
According to the report, Sikkim tops the list with GER of 53.9%, followed by Chandigarh at 50.6% and Tamil Nadu is in the third position. However, while the first is a much smaller state with only 16 colleges participating in the survey, the second is a union territory. Tamil Nadu has the highest GER among other states.
There has been marginal rise of 0.4% in the GER, which is calculated for 18 to 23 age groups, in Tamil Nadu this time, as in 2017-18, the figure was 48.6%. However, the state is much ahead of other bigger and neighbouring states. According to the report, the GER in higher education in Kerala is 37%, while it is 32.4% in Andhra Pradesh, 36.2% in Telangana and 28.8% in Karnataka. Even states like Maharashtra and Gujarat have recorded GER of 32% and 20.4%, respectively.
TN: Almost 8.6% rise in 6 years
“It is not proper to compare the figures of Tamil Nadu with that of Sikkim and Chandigarh. We have been dedicatedly working to improve the GER in the higher education sector and in the last six years, it has increased by almost 8.6%,” said higher education secretary, Mangat Ram Sharma.
“The Centre has set a target of achieving 50% GER in higher education by 2030 and now we have achieved it. So, in the next three to four years, the State aims to achieve a GER of 60% in higher education and a roadmap has been prepared for it,” added Sharma. New colleges and constituent colleges of universities have been opened in different backward areas to provide opportunities to students. Reservations are being provided to encourage the enrolment of the deprived section.
“From next year, we will announce about the hike in number of seats in different colleges much earlier, so that students can get ample time to apply,” said the higher education secretary.
While the male GER ratio in Tamil Nadu is 49.8%, the female ratio is 48.3%. Similarly, in SC category, the GER in the State is 41.6% while in ST category, it is 37.8%. The top 7 states in terms of highest number of colleges are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, which have 28 and more colleges, per lakh population. Tamil Nadu stands at sixth position with 2466 colleges and 35 colleges per lakh population.