Student Enrollment Under SC Category Grows By 44%

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has reported significant increases in student enrollment under various categories from 2014-15 to 2021-22. According to data released on Saturday, enrollment of Scheduled Caste (SC) students rose by 44%, from 4.61 million to 6.62 million. SC female student enrollment increased by 51%. Additionally, Scheduled Tribe (ST) student enrollment grew by 65.2%, from 1.641 million to 2.71 million, with female ST enrollment surging by 80%. Minority female student enrollment also saw a notable rise of 42.3%, growing from 1.07 million to 1.52 million.

OBC Enrollment and Reservation Impact

NCBC Chairman Hansraj Gangaram Ahir highlighted the government’s efforts to enhance the constitutional rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), implementing a 27% reservation in educational institutions. In 2020-21, this policy enabled 34,133 OBC children to gain admission to Central Schools and 19,710 to Navodaya Schools. Sainik Schools admitted 1,026 OBC students in 2021-22. OBC enrollment in MBBS programs increased from 1,662 in 2021 to 2,090 in 2023, while PG Medical courses saw admissions rise from 2,663 in 2021 to 3,322 in 2023.

Higher Education Growth

Overall higher education enrollment increased by 26.5%, from 34.2 million in 2014-15 to 43.3 million in 2021-22. Female enrollment rose by 32%, from 15.7 million to 20.7 million. OBC student enrollment surged by 45%, from 11.3 million to 16.3 million, with female OBC enrollment increasing by 49.3%. In central universities, OBC enrollment rose by 32.6%, with female enrollment up by 40.4%. In Institutes of National Importance, OBC enrollment increased by 71%, with female OBC enrollment more than doubling.