Question : LOW STANDARD OF UNIVERSITIES COLLEGES

(a) whether the Government is aware that higher education system in the country is plagued with various challenges such as low Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and lack of quality research and education;

(b) if so, whether GER in higher education in the country is 16 per cent which is below the world average of 27 per cent;

(c) whether the Government is aware that the qualitative level of 90% of colleges and 68% of universities is very low and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(d) the concrete steps taken by the Government to improve the higher education system in the country and the extent to which the success has been achieved in this regard?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b); As per the All india Survey on Higher Education (provisional report) 2012-13 the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is 21.1. The Gross Enrolment Ratio in the country has been targeted to reach 25.2 by the end of Xllth plan. The Government is undertaking several measures to increase GER to 30 by 2020 by improving access to higher education. Ensuring quality research and education in the country is an ongoing effort in the country. As per bibliometric study, conducted by Department of Science and Technology, regarding India`s scientific publication outputs, including publications by universities, citation impact of papers emanating from India has increased to 0.68 in 2006-2010 and is targeted for increasing to 1 during the Xllth plan.

(c); The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has undertaken accreditation of 196 Universities and 5751 colleges in the country out of nearly 700 universities and 37000 colleges. The quality status of these institutions has been found to be ranging from `Very Good` to `Satisfactory`. Several universities and colleges have applied for accreditation to the NAAC or are becoming eligible for accreditation by NAAC. Accreditation enables an institution to introspect its quality status and undertake continuous efforts to improve its quality. The University Grants Commission has already stipulated that higher educational institutions that have not undergone accreditation will be ineligible for funding under its schemes.

(d); Several measures have already been undertaken to improve the higher education system in the country. The process for formulating the New Education Policy (NEP) has already been initiated. The Central Governement has launched the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National