Archive · 9 Aug 2026
AISHE Report: India's Higher Education Quantity Grows, With Asymmetries
Every year, the government of India counts how many students go to college and university.
The newest count, the 2026 All India Survey on Higher Education, shows that about four-and-a-half crore students are studying.
More women are now going to college than men, which is a change from the past.
Many of those students are studying science, technology, engineering, and maths.
Almost eight out of every ten colleges are private, so many families have to pay for education themselves.
The good news is not the same everywhere: colleges in the south and west of India have more students than many in the north and east.
Most students stop after finishing a basic degree, and very few go on for further study.
About 44 lakh students learn from a distance, often through online classes.
India's government wants half of all young people to be in higher education by 2035.
Experts say India should focus not just on more students, but on better quality and fairness too.
Total student enrolment in Indian higher education reached 4.50 crore, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) rising to 30.0 per cent from 29.5 per cent.
Female GER stood at 31.2 per cent and the Gender Parity Index improved to 1.08, meaning women now slightly outnumber men in enrolment.
More than 1.02 crore students are enrolled in STEM programmes, with women accounting for approximately 44 per cent of that enrolment.
Of the 46,468 colleges reporting to AISHE, nearly 83 per cent are private, and private institutions enrol over 71 per cent of all college students.
AISHE does not systematically collect graduate employment and earnings data, and the 2022-23 and 2023-24 reports were released only in July 2026.
- Who
- Students, faculty, and institutions across India's higher education system, as reported by the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE); analysis by M Suresh Babu, Director of the Madras Institute of Development Studies.
- What
- AISHE 2026 shows total enrolment grew to 4.50 crore and GER rose to 30.0 per cent, but reveals structural asymmetries in private provisioning, discipline mix, research orientation, and delivery modes.
- When
- 2026; the 2022-23 and 2023-24 AISHE reports were released only in July 2026.
- Where
- India (national survey covering states, districts, and urban and rural areas).
- Why
- To track participation, gender parity, and structural change in higher education, and to inform policy on equity, quality, financing, and governance.
- Total enrolment
- 4.50 crore students
- Gross Enrolment Ratio
- 30.0% (up from 29.5%)
- Female GER
- 31.2%
- Gender Parity Index
- 1.08
- STEM enrolment
- Over 1.02 crore students (about 44% women)
- Faculty strength
- 17.32 lakh (nearly 45% women)
- Colleges reporting to AISHE
- 46,468 (nearly 83% private)
- NEP target
- 50% GER by 2035