The latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report was issued on Thursday. It shows that the number of women enrolled in higher education climbed to 2.07 crore in 2021–22, a 32% increase since 2014–15, as opposed to a 26.5% growth in total enrolment during the same time.
Higher education institutions all around the nation are included in the Union Education Ministry’s survey, which gathers comprehensive data on a variety of parameters, including student enrollment, teacher data, infrastructure, and finances.
55% of the 91 lakh more enrollments overall between 2014 and 2015 have been made up of female enrollment. According to the research, this indicates that there has been a greater growth in female enrollment than in male enrollment.
“The female enrolment has been increased to 2.07 crore in 2021-22 from 2.01 crore in 2020-21 and 1.74 crore in 2017-18, i.e. 18.7% increase in enrolment during 5 years. Since 2014-15, the female enrolment has increased by around 50 lakh. In 2014-15, the female enrolment was 1,57,23,018,” the report mentioned.
University Grants Commission (UGC) chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar mentioned, “It shows that the Indian education system aims to empower women to create their own paths in their career journey. Initiatives like targeted scholarships, girls’ hostels, and flexible learning options have undoubtedly played a crucial role in promoting this environment of inclusivity”.
1.13 crore people study arts at the undergraduate level; 51% of these students are female and 49% are male. Of the 49.18 lakh students enrolled in the Science subject, 50.8% are female and 49.2% are male. 47.2% of the 44.08 lakh students enrolled in the Commerce program are female, while 52.8% are male.
Sonal Kapoor, founder director, Protsahan India Foundation, averred, “It’s encouraging to witness more young women embracing STEM disciplines in higher education, signalling a trend towards gender inclusivity in traditionally male-dominated fields. However, the true measure of progress lies not only in enrolment numbers but also in the translation of these educational achievements into meaningful career opportunities and economic independence for young women.”
In a number of undergraduate programs, the proportion of women students stayed higher. These programs included the Bachelor of Arts (113 female to male ratio), the Bachelor of Science (108 female to male ratio), the B.A.(Hons)-Bachelor of Arts (Honors) (124 female to male ratio), and the B.Ed.-Bachelor of Education (176 female to male ratio). 17.05 lakh students were enrolled in medical science studies, with 42.4% being male and 57.6% being female.
Female involvement in postgraduate programs is particularly high. These programs include Master of Arts (MA) (170 females per 100 males), Master of Science (MSc) (157 females per 100 males), Master of Commerce (M.Com.) (174 females per 100 males), and Master of Education (202) females per 100 males.
Of the 2,12 lakh students enrolled at the PhD level, 47% are women. According to the data, female enrolment in PhD programs has actually doubled, from 47,717 in 2014–15 to 98,636 in 2021–22.
Nonetheless, the proportion of female students enrolled in engineering and technical courses is still low, at 29.1% compared to 70.9% of male students.
