The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Zubin Irani launched the Sixth All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) in New Delhi.
The survey covers all the Higher Education (HE) institutions of the country including Universities, Colleges and Stand-Alone institutions.
The entire survey has been voluntary, based on motivation of respondents; and without any statutory mandate in place for collecting information of this nature.
It needs a Survey like this to bring out the correct and complete picture of the system so that relevant statistics are available to the Central Government as well as State Governments, in order to devise future policies.
The survey is also unique in the sense that it is a participatory effort between State Governments, Regulatory Statutory Authorities and the Ministries of the Government of India. The survey compiles and manages statistics directly online from respondent institutions.
The main items of data collection under survey are Basic details, Programme details, Teaching and Non-Teaching staff, Student Enrolment, Examination Result, Infrastructure, Scholarships and Financial.
With the launch of 2015-16 survey, the time-lag will be reduced to bare minimum. All the institutions located in the country are requested to participate in the Survey and provide relevant data.
The major findings of the AISHE 2014-15 are as follows –
1) Increase in overall enrolment from 27.5 million in 2010-11 to 33.3 million in 2014-15.
2) Improvement in Gross Enrolment Ratio which is a ratio of enrolment in higher education to population in the eligible age group (18-23) years from 19.4% on 2010-11 to 23.6% in 2014-15.
3) Gender Parity Index (GPI), a ratio of proportional representation of female and male, has marginally improved from 0.86 to 0.93 to the corresponding period.
4) Number of institutions of higher education listed on AISHE portal has also increased significantly – universities from 621 to 757 and colleges from 32, 974 to 38,056 during the same period.
The Survey was initiated in the year 2011 to prepare a robust data-base on higher education. Keeping in view the usefulness of data collected during the very first year, Ministry decided to make this survey an annual exercise of data collection in higher education sector.
So far, survey for the year 2013-14 has been completed and data collection for 2014-15 is under progress and is likely to be completed very soon.
HRD Minister Smriti Irani highlighted the fact that the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) has shown significant improvement from 19.4% in 2010-11 to 23.6% in 2014-15.
She expressed confidence that the target of 30% GER by 2020 as envisaged in 12th Plan would be achieved.
She highlighted that efforts be made to increase number of female teachers in higher education.
Union Minister also highlighted that this data base acts as rich depository that gives direction while devising policies to improve higher education.
Union Minister suggested that State universities in conjunction with regulatory bodies like AICTE should strive to update curriculum, which may include industry participation, use of ICT enabled education, collaboration with international organizations to make education more dynamic and increase employability.
While appreciating the initiatives of states of Gujarat, Karnataka, and Odisha; The Union Minister called upon Ministry of Human Resource Development to explore the feasibility of replicating best practices like ‘Jnana-Samnvay’ of Karnataka at national level.
