India to target 50% gross enrollment ratio in higher education by 2035

TG Sitharam, the chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), announced on March 26 that the government wants to raise the higher education gross enrollment ratio to at least 50% by 2035.

Only 29% of India's more than 25 crore schoolchildren currently seek higher education, compared to nearly 85% in affluent countries.

Sitharam highlighted that more work is required to achieve this challenging objective, even if the number of students enrolling each year is increasing.

Sitharam made these remarks at the launch of the 'Digital Excellence for Growth and Enterprise' (Dx-EDGE) platform, an initiative led by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with support from NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI FTH) and AICTE.

The platform aims to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the tools, knowledge, and ecosystem needed to drive digital transformation and thrive in the digital economy.

Sitharam emphasized the nation's extensive educational system, which includes more than 1,200 institutions and 45,000 colleges, but highlighted the need for more students to pursue higher education.

He also emphasized how crucial it is to assist MSMEs, which are more impacted by regulatory issues than major corporations despite being vital to India's economy.

Addressing the audience, BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, explained the government's initiatives to strengthen India's integration into international value chains, which would accelerate the expansion of domestic MSMEs.

In order to alleviate the regulatory difficulties MSMEs experience, he noted that a task team under the cabinet secretary is working on deregulation.

Dx-EDGE, which aims to provide MSMEs with cutting-edge technology and digital capabilities, is a revolutionary step in India's digital path, according to Subrahmanyam.

In order to enable MSMEs to develop sustainably and become more globally competitive, he underlined that digital transformation facilitation centers would be established around the country, democratizing access to innovation and skills.

He claimed that this will help bring the idea of a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) to life.

The Dx-EDGE program will assist in closing the technology gap, allowing MSMEs to embrace innovative digital solutions and improve their preparation for the future.

CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee also emphasized the importance of MSMEs in the Indian economy.