While the Centre has proposed 30 Central universities and some 373 degree colleges in the country during the 11th Plan period, this so-called largesse for the education sector is actually just a drop in the ocean, suggest higher education demand estimates drawn by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The UGC’s demand-supply survey on higher education shows that a staggering 302 universities and 2,162 colleges are required to be created under the 11th Plan period to meet the massive “university and college deficits” at the one-university- for-two-lakh- students scenario. At more reasonable figures of 20,000 students per university, the requirement would be for an additional 735 universities.“For the states, assuming that one university is required for a two-lakh strong population in the 18-24 age group, 302 more universities will be needed. Uttar Pradesh alone needs 63 universities and Bihar 32. Assuming 10 colleges per lakh population, with 1,000 students per college for the 18-24 age group, we need additional 2,162 colleges in college deficit states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar etc,” said UGC Chairman S K Thorat while making a presentation at the State Education Ministers' Conference in Delhi. A tentative UGC estimate further indicates that under alternative norms of 20,000 and 30,000 students per university, India will need 735 and 378 universities respectively during the Plan period, he added.“The demand-supply survey across states was conducted keeping in mind all India averages in states/areas which are not facing any college/university deficit. So the requirements are actually very high. How this demand can be met is an arduous task by itself, but the attempts are on,” Thorat told The Indian Express.Thorat pointed out how while the Centre has increased expenditure towards higher education from Rs 4,183 crore in the 10th Plan to Rs 40,000 crore in the 11th Plan to realise a five per cent net increase in the enrolment rate, the states have been decreasing their expenditure in the sector. “While the state expenditure on higher education increased at a per annum rate of 9.42 and 8.09 during the 1951-1971 and 1971-1981 periods, it fell to 5.48 in 1982-92 and further to 5.07 in 1993-2003. This trend needs to be reversed to increase enrolment rate. The Centre is already launching several schemes like assisting with creating colleges in 372 economically backward districts, improving quality of institutes, reviving universities and colleges and improving faculty, but more needs to be done by the states as well,” Thorat added.The ratio302 more universities needed to attain one university per two lakh students ratio. This includes 63 universities in Uttar Pradesh, 32 in Bihar, 30 in West Bengal, 28 in Andhra Pradesh, 20 in Maharashtra, 18 in Madhya Pradesh, 16 in Gujarat and 13 in Rajasthan.735 universities needed to attain modern norm of 1 university per 20,000 students 2,162 more colleges needed to ensure 1 college per 1,000 students norm in deficit states like West Bengal, UP, Kerala, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and J-K.
