Higher education enrolment reaches 4.5 crore

India’s higher education enrolment reached 4.5 crore in the academic year 2023-24. The figure marked a rise from 3.42 crore in 2014-15, and female enrolment stood at 2.24 crore in 2023-24. The data were placed in the All India Survey on Higher Education for 2022-23 and 2023-24, released by the Union Ministry of Education on 8 July 2026.

Higher Education Enrolment in India

Higher education in India covers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and doctoral programmes in universities, colleges, and institutions of national importance. The 2023-24 enrolment total of 4.5 crore was 31.5% higher than the 2014-15 level of 3.42 crore. Undergraduate courses accounted for 76.8% of total enrolment in 2023-24.

Gender Parity and Female Participation

The Gender Parity Index for 2023-24 stood at 1.08. A GPI above 1.0 means female enrolment is higher than male enrolment. Female participation in higher education remained higher than male participation for seven consecutive years. The female Gross Enrolment Ratio for the 18-23 age group was 31.2, compared with the male GER of 28.9 in 2023-24.

STEM, Social Groups and Faculty Strength

• STEM enrolment crossed 1.02 crore in 2023-24 for the first time.
• Women formed 44% of STEM enrolment in 2023-24, compared with 38.4% a decade earlier.
• Women outnumbered men in the Science stream in 2023-24.
• Faculty strength in higher education reached 17.32 lakh in 2023-24, and women formed 44.9% of the teaching workforce.

Important Facts for Exams

• The All India Survey on Higher Education is the main official dataset for higher education statistics in India.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio measures the proportion of students enrolled in a level of education within the eligible age group.
• Private colleges educated over 70% of all college students in 2023-24.
• Enrolment of Scheduled Castes reached 69.72 lakh, Scheduled Tribes reached 28.83 lakh, and Other Backward Classes reached 1.80 crore in 2023-24.

Institutional Pattern and Social Composition

Private colleges educated over 70% of all college students in 2023-24. Enrolment among Scheduled Castes reached 69.72 lakh, Scheduled Tribes reached 28.83 lakh, and Other Backward Classes reached 1.80 crore in 2023-24.