Caste-wise Enrolment in Higher Education

The report provides a critical and detailed longitudinal analysis of the progress toward equity in India’s higher education system, tracing the significant shifts in the social composition of student enrolment from 2010-11 to 2022-23. By leveraging comprehensive, official data, it meticulously documents the remarkable expansion of access for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), not only within government institutions but also across private and professional courses. The report’s robust evidence, which highlights both the substantial gains for historically marginalized groups and the concurrent stagnation and decline in General Category enrolment, provides an indispensable empirical foundation. Consequently, this analysis is poised to form the essential basis for future evidence- based policy decisions on affirmative action, compelling a necessary re-evaluation of these policies to ensure they remain balanced, fair, and effective in the face of India’s rapidly evolving educational and social landscape.