INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM: SOME FACTS...!!!

Indian government has adopted policy of welfare state and providing facility of educational services to the peoples of India. Education has been a joint responsibility between the Union (central) and state governments. The states bear 80% of the fiscal burden for higher education in India. The Union government can pass nationally-binding legislation for higher education and is the final standards and accreditation authority. The Department of Higher Education lies within the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the Union government.
There has been phenomenal growth in the Higher Education System and a virtual explosion in the number of Universities and colleges. There were only 20 universities and 500 Colleges at the time of Independence; the country has now 416 Universities –251 State Universities, 24 Central Universities, 103 Deemed Universities, 5 Institutions established under State Legislation and 33 Institutes of National Importance established by Act of Parliament. In addition, there are 20677 Colleges including 2166 Women Colleges. At the beginning of the academic year 2006-07, the total number of students enrolled in the universities and colleges was reported to be 110.28 lakhs- 14.27 lakhs (12.94%) in University Departments and 96.01 lakhs (87.06%) in affiliated colleges. The enrolment of women at the beginning of the academic year 2006-7 was 44.66 lakhs, constituting At the beginning of the academic year 2007-08, the total number of students enrolled in the Universities and Colleges was 116.13 Lakhs (approx). The enrollment of women was about 40% of the total enrollment.
University Grants Commission (UGC) is responsible for coordination determination, and maintenance of standards, release of grants. Professional councils such as All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Distance Education Council (DEC), are responsible for recognition of courses, promotion of professional institutions and providing grants to undergraduate programmes and various awards. National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an autonomous institution established by the UGC in 1994 to assess and accredit institutions of higher education that volunteer for the process, based on prescribed criteria. 129 Universities and 2954 colleges/institutions have been accredited by NAAC till 2005 some are reaccredited now.