In the recently released All India Survey for Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22 report, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the state having the highest number of colleges in the country. Maharashtra and Karnataka have bagged the second and the third position. As per the information shared by news agency PTI, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed an increase from 8,114 colleges to 8,375 in the previous year. There are 30 colleges for every one lakh population in the state. Maharashtra has around 4,692 colleges, while Karnataka has 4,430 colleges.
The Ministry of Education has released the All India Survey for Higher Education 2021-22 on Thursday. The ministry has been releasing the AISHE report since 2011. The survey is conducted by evaluating all higher educational institutions in India.
As per the report, the top 10 states having the highest number of colleges in India include Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and West Bengal. Each of these states have at least 30 or more colleges per lakh population.
Rajasthan is at the fourth position with 3,934 colleges, Tamil Nadu is at the fifth position with 2,829 colleges followed by Madhya Pradesh with 2,702 colleges. Andhra Pradesh is placed at the seventh position and has 2,602 colleges while Gujarat with 2,395 colleges is at the eighth position. Telangana is at the ninth spot with 2,083 colleges followed by West Bengal which has 1,514 colleges.
The states and Union Territories which have a high number of colleges per lakh population are Karnataka (66), Telangana (52), Andhra Pradesh (49), Himachal Pradesh (47), Puducherry (53) and Kerala (46).
How is the survey conducted?
The survey evaluates colleges based on different parameters such as student enrolment, teachers' data, infrastructural information, financial information, etc. Around 45,473 colleges have been registered under AISHE belonging to the 328 universities (affiliating). Of these 42,825 responded in the survey year 2021-22.
The survey report also revealed that 6.1 per cent colleges in the country are engineering and technology institutions, 4.3 per cent nursing colleges and 3.5 per cent medical colleges. Over 60 per cent colleges are general in nature. While 2.7 per cent colleges offer arts courses, 2.4 per cent are dedicated to pharmacy courses, 0.7 per cent science colleges and 1.4 per cent Sanskrit colleges.
The total estimated enrolment in higher education institutions is 4,32,68,181. Out of this, 96,38,345 are in universities and their constituent units, 3,14,59,092 are in colleges and 21,70,744 in stand-alone institutions