The 12th Plan Document has fixed targets of 25.2 % GER by 2017-18 and 30% GER by 2020-21. As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2017-18, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education has increased from 24.5% in 2015-16 to 25.8% in 2017-18.
In order to increase the enrolment in higher educational institutions, various measures have been taken by Government which include:
- Issuing of new UGC regulation for Open and Distance Learning that allows entry of reputed institutions to offer education on the distance mode.
- Using of ICT technology- SWAYAM portal to reach out of people and allow them to secure good quality education.
- Opening of more centrally funded institutions.
- Encouraging opening of institutions by State Governments through the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which aims to achieve equity, access and excellence in higher education. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served and underserved areas as well as providing infrastructure grants to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.
- More scholarship programmes to supplement the cost of education.
Moreover, Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has been established under the Companies Act, 2013 to leverage funds from market to finance improvement in infrastructure in top institutions of education.
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NB/AKJ/YP/AK/RS-1842