Make higher education regulations voluntary: Economic Survey

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| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

The country’s higher education system ranks among the largest globally with 4.33 crore students enrolled in 2021-22, a 26.5% increase from 3.42 crore in 2014-15. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for the 18–23 age group also increased from 23.7% to 28.4% during this same period. “To achieve the government’s goal of increasing GER to 50% by 2035 in higher education, there is a need to double the educational network and infrastructure,” the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament stated on Friday (January 31, 2025).

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The survey, citing government records, said the number of Indian Institutes of Technology increased from 16 in 2014 to 23 in 2023, while Indian Institutes of Management grew from 13 in 2014 to 20 in 2023. “Similarly, medical colleges experienced remarkable growth, increasing from 387 in 2013-14 to 780 in 2024-25. Universities have also seen substantial expansion, rising from 723 in 2014 to 1,213 in 2024, registering a growth of 59.6%. Total Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) increased by 13.8% from 51,534 in 2014-15 to 58,643 in 2022-23,” it added.

Elaborating on the National Education Policy (NEP), implemented in 2020, the survey added that by 2040, all higher education institutes are to become multidisciplinary institutions. “The measures to achieve this aim include greater opportunities for outstanding public education; scholarships by private/philanthropic universities for disadvantaged and underprivileged students; online education and Open Distance Learning (ODL); and all infrastructure and learning materials accessible and available to learners with disabilities. The policy calls for making ‘India a global knowledge superpower’,” it said.

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On the higher education regulators, the University Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education, the survey said there are over 50 regulations addressing different aspects of education and research. “However, this approach does not fully align with the ‘light but tight’ regulatory model envisioned by the NEP,” the survey added. It suggested that it should be explicitly stated that compliance with regulations beyond the minimum accreditation requirements (proposed in NEP) is voluntary. “Such compliance will be desired by institutions wishing to signal their capability and credibility,” it said.