Amaravati, August 6: Andhra Pradesh continues to occupy the last position among the five southern States in higher education enrolment, according to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 data tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The State recorded a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 35.5 per cent for the 18-23 age group, well below the southern average of 43.5 per cent, highlighting a significant gap in higher education participation within the region.
Among the southern States, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest GER at 52.3 per cent, followed by Telangana at 46.6 per cent, Karnataka at 41.9 per cent and Kerala at 41.2 per cent. Andhra Pradesh remained at the bottom with 35.5 per cent. The gap between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the State carved out of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, now stands at 11.1 percentage points.
Although Andhra Pradesh is above the national average of 30.0 per cent, the comparison with neighbouring southern States presents a less encouraging picture. Every other southern State has recorded a substantially higher level of participation in higher education, indicating that Andhra Pradesh continues to lag behind the region in building its higher education base.
The national data also reveal wide disparities across the country. Bihar reported the lowest GER among major States at 17.7 per cent, while Gujarat recorded 26.3 per cent, remaining below the national average and significantly behind all the southern States. Tamil Nadu and Telangana, on the other hand, are among the country’s leading large States in higher education enrolment.
In its reply to Parliament, the Union Government said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education to 50 per cent by 2035. It said several initiatives are being implemented to improve access to higher education, including expansion of institutions, scholarships, online learning through SWAYAM, flexible academic pathways and the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), which prioritises educationally underserved districts.
The latest figures underline the need for Andhra Pradesh to accord greater priority to higher education. As the State seeks to attract investments, expand industries and create high-value employment opportunities, improving college enrolment will be critical to building the skilled workforce required for sustained economic growth.
The data should prompt all political parties to treat higher education as a long-term development priority and work towards closing the widening gap with the rest of South India.
