Kerala among highest spenders on higher education per youth, says NITI Aayog report

Kerala among highest spenders on higher education per youth, says NITI Aayog report

It acknowledges the State’s Gross Enrolment Ratio of 41.3%, well above the national average of 28.4%. The policy document on Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities also lauds State’s digital-learning initiatives, including Let’s Go Digital

Sarath Babu George

 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Kerala continues to be among the highest spenders on higher education per youth, according to a recent NITI Aayog report on the state of higher education in India. The State’s innovative digital-learning initiatives have been singled out as the report’s sole ‘State good practice.’

The policy document on Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities highlights a concerning trend on education funding.

Despite the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendation to increase tax devolution to States from 32% to 42%, this rise has not led to a corresponding increase in education spending. Moreover, the report points to a decline in both the growth of expenditure on higher education and the share of education spending by States between 2005-06 and 2019-20.

However, the report notes a positive trend in the average spending on higher education per youth, which rose from ₹2,174 to ₹4,921 during the period. It cites a 2022 report by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, which notes that Telangana and Kerala spent the highest amounts on higher education per youth in the 18 to 23 age group, followed by other South Indian States, including Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

In terms of overall investment, Kerala allocates 3.46% of its Gross State Domestic Product to education, with 0.53% specifically directed towards higher education.

The NITI Aayog report also acknowledges Kerala’s impressive Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 41.3%, well above the national average of 28.4%. Tamil Nadu leads with a GER of 47%. The report also emphasises that increasing the number of universities alone does not guarantee higher student enrolment, thereby highlighting the importance of utilising existing resources effectively.

Gender parity

Besides, Kerala has the highest Gender Parity Index (GPI) in the country—1.44, which, the report stated, reflects a strong gender balance with more female students than male. The national GPI stood at 1.01. States such as Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh have higher female enrolment rates than males, serving as “models of success for greater access to higher education for women.”

Digital learning

Kerala’s Let’s Go Digital initiative, launched in 2021, has been highly praised. The project, a collaboration between the Kerala State Higher Education Council and Digital University Kerala, focussed on training in model-based development and content creation.

Other successful projects such as the Digicol initiative, which developed customised syllabi to promote a tech-driven pedagogical approach, have also been recognised for their contribution to transforming education in the State.

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