New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Kerala have emerged as the top-performing “achiever” states in the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education institutions for 2021-22, according to a report released by NITI Aayog. The report, titled Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities, also highlights disparities in higher education access across India.

At the other end of the spectrum, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Jharkhand, and Bihar have been categorized as “aspirational” states due to their poor GER performance. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh led in decadal growth in GER (2011-12 versus 2021-22), showcasing significant progress over the decade.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery, who released the report, highlighted the critical role of state public universities (SPUs) in shaping India’s higher education landscape. Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Karnataka have been recognized as “front-runners” in GER improvement.

The report also sheds light on the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) in universities. Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka reported the lowest PTR, indicating a favorable student-faculty ratio, while Jharkhand and Bihar recorded the highest, reflecting a potential shortfall in faculty strength. Furthermore, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal demonstrated the most significant decadal improvement in PTR.

A crucial aspect of the report is its analysis of state spending on higher education. Bihar and Manipur allocate 1.56% of their Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to higher education, followed by Meghalaya at 1.33%. Meanwhile, Karnataka leads in college density with 66 colleges per lakh eligible population (18-23 years), more than double the national average of 30. States like Manipur, Bihar, and Jharkhand report the lowest college densities.

University density—measured as the number of universities per lakh eligible population—is highest in Sikkim (10.3), followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Uttarakhand. In contrast, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra fall below the national average (0.8), with Bihar ranking the lowest at 0.2.

“This indicates that while the absolute number of universities and colleges is rapidly growing, their distribution among the population is unequal, especially in high-population states,” the report noted, urging targeted measures to improve university density in these regions.

The report advocates for a National Research Policy, increased financial autonomy for SPUs, and the establishment of a State-Level Infrastructure Finance Agency for SPUs, akin to the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). It also calls for reforms in governance, emphasizing the need for appointing academic leaders from the teaching fraternity.

Bery underscored the role of public universities in setting benchmarks for excellence, citing global examples from the US and Brazil. NITI Aayog Member Vinod Kumar Paul contextualized the report within the broader framework of NEP 2020 and India’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.

Currently, India has 495 SPUs, with Karnataka leading at 43, followed by West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh with 38 each. Since Independence, when India had only 17 universities and 636 colleges serving 2.38 lakh students, the country has witnessed exponential growth. As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, India now boasts 1,168 universities, 45,473 colleges, and 12,002 standalone institutions.

Despite this progress, the report highlights the need for increased investment, urging the government to allocate 6% of GDP to education, as recommended by NEP 2020. Currently, the combined expenditure on university and higher education stands at 0.62% of GDP, while technical education accounts for 0.95%, and overall education spending remains at 4.64%.