U.P. univs, colleges saw marked enrolment fall during pandemic: Govt report

In the academic session 2021-22, there was a decline in the number of students in higher education institutions in the state by over 4.80 lakh

The exercise to increase enrolment in higher education institutions suffered a setback during the Covid pandemic period, says a government report. In the academic session 2021-22, there was a decline in the number of students in higher education institutions in the state by over 4.80 lakh, reveals a report based on data collated from 51 state universities and 7,875 degree colleges by the Directorate of Higher Education, U.P.

In the 2019-20 session, just 22,14,786 females had taken admission in higher education institutions of U.P. (For Representation)

As per the report, a total of 50,21,277 students, including 18,60,220 males and 31,61,057 females, were registered in the higher educational institutions of the state in 2020-21 session whereas in 2021-22 this number dipped to 45,40,605 students, including 21,77,467 males and 23,63,138 females.

The number of students in higher education in 2019-2020 was 41,83,992, including 19,69,206 males and 22,14,786 females, it notes. A scrutiny of the report shows that during the pandemic, the decrease in the number of students in higher educational institutions had the biggest impact on education of females. In the 2019-20 session, just 22,14,786 females had taken admission in higher education institutions but this figure jumped to 31,61,057 in 2020-21.

However, in 2021-22, the number of enrolment of females came down to 23,63,138—a fall of 7,97,919. The report says the efforts of the Union education ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to increase enrolment of students in higher education institutions suffered a setback during the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh.

Conceding the dip, director, higher education, U.P., Amit Bhardwaj said the records show there was a decrease in the enrolment of students in higher educational institutions during the Covid period. “Efforts are now being made to improve the enrolments in 2022-23 session,” he said.

Teacher MLC (Allahabad Jhansi region) Suresh Kumar Tripathi said the pandemic impacted all walks of life and also led to a fall in enrolment of students in both schools and colleges. “It is the time for officials to undertake enrolments of students in higher education institutions in the state on a war footing to make up for the negative impact of the pandemic,” he said.