All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)

The first Provisional Report of the ambitious All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) relaeased at New Delhi on September 28. The report contains countrywide estimates of Gross Enrolment Ratio on the basis of data collected till July 31, 2012, from the Higher Education (HE) Institutions of the country including Universities, Colleges, and Stand-Alone Institutions.

The key idea behind this Survey and the resulting document is to prepare a sound database on the large and diverse system of Higher Education in the country. The Survey compiles and manages statistics directly online from respondent institutions. The Ministry has constituted a Task Force to carry out the Survey. This Task Force has representations from stake-holders including the Ministry, the UGC, the AICTE, various Regulatory Bodies, as well as Departments of Higher Education of the States. Shri Sunil Kumar, Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh, the then Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education is its Chairman.

The Provisional Report contains statistical information on various aspects of all the Institutions of Higher Education in India. It is heartening to know that the overall Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of the country stands at 18.8% (based on estimated figures collected till July 31, 2012).  Few more detailed reports will be released as the first year of the survey comes to a close. The Ministry has also taken a decision to continue the Survey on annual basis which will replace the existing manual system of data collection in higher education.

The entire survey has been voluntary, based on motivation of respondents; and without any statutory mandate in place for collecting information of this nature. It needs a Survey like this to bring out the correct and complete picture of the system so that relevant statistics are available to the Central Government as well as State Governments, in order to devise future policies. Besides, the Report will also create immediate awareness of the present status of the Higher Education and its growth since Independence till date.

 

About Survey

Higher education is of vital importance for the country, as it is a powerful tool to build knowledge-based society of the 21st Century. With the growing size and diversity of the higher education sector particularly in terms of courses, management and geographical coverage, it has become necessary to develop a sound database on higher education. It is widely recognized that the existing data base on higher education is inadequate, out-of-date.  Collection and dissemination of data on higher education suffers from incomplete coverage, inordinate time lag etc. 

Government has set a target of increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from the present level of about 12% to 15% by the end of XI Five Year Plan and to 30% by the year 2020.Various new initiatives are being taken by the Government to increase the GER. To measure the efforts taken by the government to increase the GER requires complete data on higher education such as number of institutions, students, teachers etc.

In view of this MHRD has initiated an All India Survey on Higher Education to build a database and to assess the correct picture of higher Education in the country.

The main objectives the survey will be to

‐ identify & capture all the institutions of higher learning in the country

‐ Collect the data from all the higher education institutions on various aspects of
higher education 

A Task Force has been constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary (HE),
MHRD with Representatives from UGC, AICTE, MCI, IASRI, CSO, Universities, State Higher Education Departments etc as members.

Survey is being conducted under the overall guidance of the Task Force. 

National University of Education Planning and Administration (NUEPA) has been given the responsibility of conducting the Field Work of the Main Survey and Report Generation.

Data is being collected on following broad items

‐ Institution’s Basic Details
‐ Teacher’s Details 
‐ Details of Non‐Teaching Staff
‐ Programme conducted under various Faculties/Schools & Departments/Centres
‐ Students enrolled in these Programme
‐ Examination result of terminal year of each Programme
‐ Financial Information such as Receipt and Expenditure under various heads