Registration of students in higher education is measured in terms of total enrolment in higher education out of the eligible population in the age group of 18-23 years. Total enrolment in higher education as percentage of the population in the 18-23 years age group is defined as Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). As per the report of All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), GER in Higher Education during 2015-16 is 24.5% as compared to 10.0% in 2004-05. The quantum jump in GER over the years indicates considerable improvement in registration of students in higher education.
To increase the percentage of students to continue studies in institutions of higher education, the Government has taken several initiatives such as opening of new institutions, scholarship and interest subsidy on educational loans availed by the students. Extensive use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications is also being made in furtherance of higher education in the country. During the Twelfth Five Year Plan a new scheme called the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has been launched with the aim to achieve equity, access and excellence in state higher education system. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served and underserved areas as well as providing infrastructure grants to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.