India’s GER Climbs to ~29%, Higher Ed Enrolment Projected to Double in 10 Years: AICTE Chairman

MRIIRS announced new-age programmes and global tie-ups for AY 2025–26, including B.Tech in Semiconductor & Defence Tech, B.Com in Fintech with Deloitte, MBA in Analytics with SAS, Clinical Psychology, and dual degrees with Purdue, Queen Mary, Kedge, and HTMI.

India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education has surged from just 1% at Independence to 29% today and is poised to double in the next decade, AICTE Chairman Prof. T.G. Sitharam said while addressing students at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS). He projected that the number of students in colleges and universities will rise from 4.5 crore to 9 crore over the next 10 years.

Highlighting the rapid growth of college enrolment, Prof. Sitharam said, “At the time of Independence, India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) was just 1%. Today, we’ve reached 29%, with over 4.5 crore students enrolled. In ten years, this number is expected to touch 9 crore.” He added that the expansion is not merely about numbers but reflects a qualitative shift in accessibility, flexibility, and purpose in education.

The AICTE Chairman emphasized several flagship initiatives by the Ministry of Education and AICTE, such as the Academic Bank of Credits and the unique APAR ID, which will track a student’s academic journey from Balvatika to PhD. He underscored the importance of industry engagement and skill development, noting that the National Internship Portal currently connects students to over 75,000 companies and has more than 2 crore registered users.

He also encouraged students to utilise platforms like NEAT, offering 480+ skill-building courses, and the AICTE Career Portal, which links learners to over 7 lakh employers. Additionally, he spoke about the Productisation Fellowship, which offers ₹37,000–₹40,000 per month for a year to support graduates in transforming their ideas into market-ready products.

MRIIRS used the platform to unveil a range of new-age academic offerings and global collaborations for the 2025–26 academic year. These include B.Tech (Hons.) in Electronics and Communication Engineering with specialisations in Semiconductor Design and Defence Technology, B.Com (Hons.) in Fintech with Deloitte and Zell Education, and an MBA in Business Intelligence and Analytics with SAS. The university also introduced M.A./M.Phil in Clinical Psychology and announced new pathway and dual-degree programs with Purdue University Northwest, Queen Mary University of London, Kedge Business School, and HTMI, Switzerland.

“This is a defining moment for students,” said Dr. Prashant Bhalla, President, MREI. “At Manav Rachna, we aim to provide not only a strong educational foundation but also the perspective to navigate change with confidence.”