How many students are in higher education in India?

History

AISHE is a survey that institutions fill in themselves on the Ministry's portal. The figure counts enrolments reported by the institutions that took part.

The figures side by side

How we got this number

1. Read the enrolment line from the Ministry of Education's release of the AISHE reports for 2022-23 and 2023-24, dated 8 July 2026: 4.46 crore in 2022-23 and 4.50 crore in 2023-24.
2. Take the older years from the Economic Survey 2023-24 summary on PIB, which cites AISHE 2021-22: nearly 4.33 crore in FY22 and 4.14 crore in FY21.
3. Read female enrolment from the same Ministry of Education release: 2.18 crore in 2022-23 and 2.24 crore in 2023-24.

What this number does not tell you

• The report is two years behind: the latest year covered is 2023-24, and the Ministry released it in July 2026.
• AISHE is voluntary and self-reported by the institutions. The Ministry runs validation checks, but the numbers depend on what institutions submit.
• The FY21 and FY22 points come from a Finance Ministry summary of the Economic Survey, which says "nearly 4.33 crore" for FY22. Earlier-year figures can be revised in later AISHE reports.

Sources

1. Ministry of Education (PIB), release of AISHE reports 2022-23 and 2023-24, 8 July 2026The enrolment in higher education has been continuously increasing from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to 4.46 crore in 2022-23 and 4.50 crore in 2023-24 (i.e. 31.5% increase since 2014-15). In fact, there was commendable increase in female enrolment in higher education from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.18 crore in 2022-23 and 2.24 crore in 2023-24 (i.e. 42.2% increase since 2014-15).
2. Ministry of Finance (PIB), Economic Survey 2023-24 on higher education, 22 July 2024As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.33 crore in FY22 from 4.14 crore in FY21 and 3.42 crore in FY15 (an increase of 26.5 per cent since FY15)

Questions people ask

How many women are enrolled in higher education in India?

2.24 crore in 2023-24, up from 1.57 crore in 2014-15, a rise of 42.2% (Ministry of Education, AISHE).

Which year does the latest AISHE report cover?

The Ministry of Education released reports for both 2022-23 and 2023-24 on 8 July 2026. The 2023-24 report is the latest.

Where can I read the full AISHE report?

The Ministry links the detailed report from its PIB release: https://www.dohe-education.gov.in/documents/reports/aishe-report-MzN1EjMtQWa?pageTitle=AISHE-Report

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This figure is from Ministry of Education's own release or a report quoting it. We recheck it yearly. If you have a newer or better source, send it to us.