Education in India is deeply embedded in its ancient philosophical tradition, where Vidya was seen not merely as the accumulation of knowledge but as the means for holistic self-empowerment.

In the ancient Indian texts, it is said that “The wealth of knowledge is indeed the supreme among all forms of wealth.” Over the years, India has strived to nurture and pass on this invaluable wealth of knowledge to its youth.

Read in Hindi: 'परंपरा' से 'परिवर्तन' के दौर में है भारत की उच्च शिक्षा

Notably, in the last decade, India has seen an impressive 318 per cent increase in its representation in global rankings, the highest growth among the G20 nations.

On 10th February, NITI Aayog released the report ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities’. This report focuses on State Public Universities, which have been key in making education more accessible, especially in remote areas. Currently, SPUs serve over 3.25 crore students. With the National Education Policy- 2020 aiming to double enrollment by 2035, SPUs will continue to educate the majority of students.

At the time of India’s independence in 1947, the country’s education system was fraught with challenges. India had only 17 universities and 636 colleges serving about 2.38 lakh students. The literacy rate was alarmingly low at 14 per cent. Now, we have 495 State Public Universities and more than 46,000 affiliated institutions that truly play a crucial role. These universities account for 81 per cent of total student enrollment, making higher education accessible across India.

Since the establishment of the earliest universities in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857, India’s higher education ecosystem has expanded significantly. In 1950-51, the country had just 30 universities and 578 colleges. However, according to the AISHE Report 2021-2022, the landscape has transformed, with 1,168 universities, 45,473 colleges and 12,002 stand-alone institutions now in existence. Over the last two decades, the number of colleges alone has more than quadrupled, highlighting a remarkable growth in the sector.

Between 1950-51 and 2021-22, India's Gross Enrollment Ratio grew by a remarkable 71 times showcasing significant progress in increasing student enrollments over the decades. The GER figures reflect this growth, with 0.4 in 1950-51 and reaching 28.4 in 2021-22. This impressive progress aligns with the goals set by the National Education Policy- 2020, which aims to achieve a GER of 50 per cent by 2035.

India has approximately 16 lakh teachers in HEIs, with the majority, i.e. 68 per cent, being Lecturers or Assistant Professors. Readers or Associate Professors represent around 10 per cent of the total faculty, followed by Professors and equivalents at 9.5 per cent, Demonstrators or Tutors at six per cent, Temporary Teachers at 5.7 per cent, and Visiting Teachers at 0.8 per cent. The number of Professors has marginally increased over the years.

India’s contribution to global research publications has also seen a significant rise, increasing from 3.5 per cent in 2017 to 5.2 per cent in 2024. This growth is reflected in the NIRF 2024 rankings, where the Indian Institutes of Technology lead in research output, contributing over 24 per cent of total publications through 16 institutions. Private Deemed Universities closely follow, accounting for about 23.5 per cent of the total publications with 22 institutions showing improvement in their research output.

India also made a strong investment in its higher education sector, dedicating 1.57 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product to tertiary education in 2021, surpassing many European nations and coming close to the US and the UK. This continued investment supports the expansion and strengthening of India’s education ecosystem, ensuring progress in both research and access to quality education.

Overall, India’s higher education sector has seen impressive growth, with significant increases in enrollment, expanded State Public Universities, and improved representation of disadvantaged groups.