National Digital University will scale up Gross Enrolment Ratio

Subject : Governance

Concept :

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the digital University will pave way for scapling up Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education significantly from the present level of 27 percent.
A thrust on online education, collaboration amongst existing institutions and start of new ones are the other ways to attain the intended target of 50 percent GER, the Minister told mediapersons.

Digital University

The Union Government of India in its Budget 2022-2023 has announced the establishment of a Digital University.
The main objective is to ensure world-class quality universal education with a personalised learning experience at doorsteps.
The study material will be available in different Indian languages and ICT formats.
The University will be built on the hub-spoke model.
The hub and spoke model refers to a distribution method in which a centralized “hub” exists.
Everything either originates in the hub or is sent to the hub.
The best public universities and institutions in the country will collaborate as a network of hub-spokes.
The Department of Higher Education, University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other stakeholders have initiated the process to ensure the early start of this digital university.

Gross Enrolment Ratio:

The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) is the number of students enrolled in a given level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education.
The percentage of students belonging to the eligible age group enrolled in higher education in 2019-20 is 27.1% against 26.3% in 2018-19 and 24.3% in 2014-2015.