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India's Education Gains: School Enrolment Rises, Higher Education Institutions Multiply

The Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled in Parliament, reports significant gains in India's education sector, marked by improved school enrolment rates and a major expansion of higher education institutions. It credits policies like the Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Education Policy 2020 for expanding access and promoting equity. The number of Higher Education Institutions has grown from about 51,500 in 2014-15 to over 70,000, with substantial increases in premier institutes including IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS. The Survey calls for a continued holistic approach to education to build a future-ready workforce and fully convert India's human resource base into high-quality human capital.

Key Points: India's Gains in School Enrolment & Higher Education: Survey

  • Gross Enrolment Ratio high at primary levels
  • Higher education institutions increased to over 70,000
  • Growth in premier institutes like IITs and IIMs
  • Right to Education Act & NEP credited for progress
3 min read

India made notable gains in school enrolment, higher education institutions, says govt

Economic Survey 2025-26 highlights India's progress in school enrolment, literacy, and expansion of higher education institutions like IITs and IIMs.

"India has made notable gains in school enrolment by strengthening infrastructure and teacher capacity - Economic Survey 2025-26"

New Delhi, Jan 29

India has made notable gains in school enrolment and higher education institutions, the government stated in the Economic Survey 2025-26 on Thursday.

The Survey tabled in the Parliament by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, credited the achievement to strengthened infrastructure and teacher capacity, due to policies such as the Right to Education Act 2009, and the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP).

Other measures include updated UGC guidelines, regulations for academic collaboration and mutual recognition of qualifications, and permissions for foreign branch campuses, including those in GIFT City.

"Achievements in the education space have been marked by enhanced literacy rates, increasing enrolment in schools and higher education institutions, provision of vocational education avenues, etc. The Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) have played a crucial role in shaping the education landscape by expanding access to quality education universally, promoting equity, and driving innovation in teaching and learning," the Survey said.

"India has made notable gains in school enrolment by strengthening infrastructure and teacher capacity, with schemes like Poshan Shakti Nirman and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan promoting access and equity," it added.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) stands at 90.9 at the primary stage (Grades I to V), 90.3 at the upper primary (Grade VI to VIII), 78.7 at the secondary stage (Grade IX and X), and 58.4 at the higher secondary stage (Grade XI and XII).

The Survey also mentioned an increase in the number of higher education institutions (HEIs) from 51,534 in 2014-15 to 70,018 as of June 2025 -- an increase marked by substantial growth in universities and colleges.

The number of premier higher education institutions (HEIs) has expanded significantly between 2014-15 and 2024-25. It now stands at 23 IITs, 21 IIMs, and 20 AIIMS, alongside the establishment of two international IIT campuses in Zanzibar and Abu Dhabi.

The All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), 2022-23 (Provisional), reports an increase in student enrolment from 4.33 crore in 2021-22 to 4.46 crore in 2022-23.

"India's education sectors require unwavering focus to unlock the nation's true potential through integrated, accountable, and adaptive policy frameworks to build a future-ready workforce," it added.

The survey also suggested a holistic, lifecycle approach so that the country "raises its Expected Years of Schooling (EYS) to 15 years set by NEP's 5+3+3+4 schooling structure for ages 3-18".

The approach encompassing "early childhood education, foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), universal secondary schooling, and the seamless integration of vocational and digital skills", will help fully convert its vast human resource base into high-quality human capital, the Survey said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Numbers look good on paper, but the real test is quality. We have more colleges, but are our graduates truly industry-ready? The dropout rate between secondary and higher secondary (78.7% to 58.4%) is still a major concern. Need to focus on retaining students, especially in rural areas.
A
Aditya G
IITs in Zanzibar and Abu Dhabi! That's our soft power shining through. Making India a global education hub is a visionary move. The integration of vocational skills in the new policy is also the need of the hour. Not everyone needs to be an engineer or doctor, skilled technicians are equally important.
S
Sarah B
The expansion of AIIMS is perhaps the most critical part of this report. Access to quality healthcare education directly impacts public health. Hoping this translates to more doctors and nurses in tier 2 and 3 cities. The holistic lifecycle approach mentioned makes a lot of sense.
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Karthik V
Good progress, but the survey itself says "unwavering focus" is still required. The challenge now is execution at the ground level. Teacher training and infrastructure in government schools, particularly in states like Bihar and UP, need massive investment. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan must deliver on its promise.
M
Meera T
As a teacher, I appreciate the mention of strengthened teacher capacity. However, the focus shouldn't just be on numbers. We need better pay, respect, and continuous professional development to truly shape the future. The 5+3+3+4 structure is a good model if implemented with proper resources.

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