One of the major reforms in the Cabinet-approved National Education Policy 2020 includes a target of 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education by 2035. "Following the new education policy and reforms, we will achieve 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035," said Amit Khare, Higher Education Secretary on Wednesday during the announcement of the National Education Policy. According to the new policy, the aim is to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3 per cent to 50 per cent by 2035.
Last year, according to All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the GER in higher education has increased from 25.8 per cent in 2017-18 to 26.3 per cent in 2018-19, while in absolute terms the enrolment increased from 3.66 crores to 3.74 crore students. The survey had also found that GER for Scheduled Castes had also grown from 21.8 per cent to 23 per cent and Scheduled Tribes from 15.9 per cent to 17.2 per cent.
Other features in the new NEP includes graded academic, administrative and financial autonomy of institutions and a single regulator for all higher education, working under a self-disclosure based transparent system for approvals in place of numerous 'inspections'.
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, along with Anita Karwal Secretary in the Department of Education and Literacy, MHRD and Khare jointly addressed the media around 4 pm on Wednesday. The committee — which suggested changes in the education system under the NEP — was headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan. "The cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to new education policy for the 21st century. It is important, as for 34 years there were no changes in the education policy," said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar during the announcement.
