UGC targets 30% enrolment by 2020

BHOPAL: The University Grants Commission has set a target to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 30% by 2020 from the present 25.4%, UGC chairman Prof DP Singh said on Wednesday.

The UGC has also set certain objectives to improve the quality of higher education in institutions, he said.

“The number of students enrolled in higher education system has gone up to about 3.66 crore in 2017-18. The GER rose to 25.4% in 2017-18, while the aim is to increase it to 30% by 2020,” Singh told reporters here.

GER is the ratio of students enrolled in the age group of 18-23 years to the population in that age group.

Singh said the UGC has also recently chalked out some objectives for improving the quality of learning in higher education institutions (HEIs).

“The objectives include regular revision of curriculum with clearly specified learning outcomes and soft skills, enabling youth to secure access to employment/self-employment, developing social-industry connect, availability of motivated teachers and accreditation to ensure qualitative selfimprovement in HEIs,” he said.

He also informed that the UGC and the ministry of human resources development (HRD) recently organised a three- day national conference in Pune to discuss research and innovation in higher education and adopted 10 resolutions. These include achieving the UGC quality mandate in universities and affiliated institutions by 2020, adopting and implementing learning outcome-based curriculum framework and enhancing research productivity.