Tamil Nadu Tops India in Higher Education GER

Tamil Nadu recorded a Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 52.3% in higher education for the 2023-24 academic year. The Union government released this figure in the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report for 2023-24. The state ranked first among Indian states in higher education GER.

Gross Enrollment Ratio in Higher Education

Gross Enrollment Ratio is the number of students enrolled in a specific level of education as a percentage of the population in the official age group for that level. In India, higher education GER is calculated for the 18 to 23 age group. Tamil Nadu’s GER of 52.3% was higher than the national average of 30% in 2023-24.

Year-wise Trend in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu’s higher education GER rose from 47.0% in 2021-22 to 49.1% in 2022-23 and 52.3% in 2023-24. The state has shown a higher education GER above 47% for three consecutive academic years. This trend places Tamil Nadu among the leading states in student participation in tertiary education.

Gender-wise Enrolment and Faculty Strength

The female GER in Tamil Nadu stood at 53.1% in 2023-24, while the male GER was 51.6%. Tamil Nadu has recorded a higher female GER than male GER for the past three years. In the same year, 35.8 lakh out of 68.4 lakh youth aged 18 to 23 were enrolled in higher education. The state also had 2,18,656 faculty members in higher education, which accounted for 12.6% of India’s total teaching strength.

Important Facts for Exams

• AISHE stands for All India Survey on Higher Education, which is the Union government’s annual database on higher education in India.
• Gross Enrollment Ratio is a standard indicator used to measure participation in education at a given level.
• Tamil Nadu has remained among the leading states in higher education enrolment for several years.
• The 18 to 23 age group is the standard reference population for higher education GER in India.

Related Static Facts

The University of Madras and Anna University are two major higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu. Faculty strength and student enrolment are key indicators used in higher education surveys in India. Higher education data in India is used for state-wise comparison of access and participation.