Higher Education Landscape in India: Government Expenditure and Its Implications on Growth and Access

Abstract

India’s higher education system grapples with myriad challenges perpetuated by scarcity of resources. This study seeks to analyse the quantitative growth of India’s higher education since independence, particularly focusing on the post-reform period. The research employs regression models, including the semi-log, Gompertz and multiple linear models, to determine growth rates and forecast variables up to 2035. The study reveals a significant expansion of higher education during the examined period, though it falls short of meeting the increasing demands. To achieve the goal of a 50 per cent Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2035, the Government of India must take steps to boost its expenditure on higher education. The analysis powerfully underscores that despite the extensive proliferation of higher education in India, its efficacy might be limited without concurrent implementation of robust policies directed towards amplifying government expenditure within the sector.