The ground effect of mass migration of youths from Punjab to countries such as Canada and Australia has started emptying state’s colleges and universities, indicates the latest data as per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report 2021-22, released by the Union ministry of education in New Delhi on Saturday.
The total enrollment in the colleges and universities of Punjab has witnessed a decline of at least one lakh students in the past five years, says the data, but there’s a silver lining. There has been a slight uptick in the total enrollment in the state in the past one year.
However, Punjab’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER), a key indicator of the level of participation in higher education within a given population, has been recorded lower than the national level. Punjab’s GER has been recorded at 27.4 only, lower than the national average of 28.4. In simple terms, higher GER values indicate greater enrolment in higher education among the specified age group (18-23 years). Punjab’s GER has alarmingly dropped from 29.2 in 2017-18 to 27.4 in 2021-22.
The GER for AISHE 2021-22 has been calculated on population projection derived from 2011 Census.
In another setback for the state, the number of students studying in Punjab across all levels (except PhD), including undergraduate, postgraduate and even diplomas, has witnessed a decline in the past five years (since 2017-18) but the figures have shown a slight improvement in 2021-22 compared to 2020-21, indicating that there might have been a slight halt in alarming migration to Canada and other countries.
According to the AISHE report 2021-22, the total enrollment in Punjab in 2017-18 was 9.59 lakh which had dropped to 8.58 lakh in 2021-22, which was slightly better than 2020-21 when the enrollment had dropped to 8.33 lakh. The data indicates that the number of students studying in Punjab’s higher educational institutions has come down by at least a lakh when compared to five years ago.
A recent study on migration patterns in Punjab conducted by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) had established that emigration boom from the state started 2015 onwards and more than 40% migrants went to Canada on study visa.
The AISHE data further reveals that Punjab’s GER which stands at 27.4 only is not just below the national average of 28.4 but also way lower compared to other states, including neighbouring Haryana (33) and Himachal Pradesh (43.1). Gujarat, another state which has witnessed migration boom, has also recorded a GER of 24 only, even lower than Punjab. The states/UTs with high GER are Chandigarh (64.8), Puducherry (61.5), Delhi (49), Tamil Nadu (47), Himachal Pradesh (43.1), Uttarakhand (41.8), Kerala (41.3) and Telangana (40).
According to the level-wise enrollment data in the AISHE report, the number of students in undergraduate courses (after class 12) has reduced from 6.88 lakh in 2017-18 to 6.13 lakh in 2021-22. The number however has slightly improved from 5.86 lakh in 2020-21.
In postgraduate courses, the enrollment in Punjab has dropped from 1.17 lakh to 1.10 lakh in five years, but has increased from 1.04 lakh in 2020-21.
The number of students enrolled in diploma and PG diploma courses has witnessed a sharp decline. In diploma courses, the enrollment has dropped from 7,431 to 5,814 in past five years, while in PG diploma courses, it has come down from 1.26 lakh to 96,000.
Harpreet Dua, senator, Panjab University, Chandigarh, said that migration was the sole reason for Punjab’s colleges and universities literally going empty in the past decade. He said that the slight uptick in the numbers compared to last year was only a false hope as the situation on the ground continues to be alarming.
“The slight uptick in the enrollment numbers is not because migrations have reduced but due to population increase. And this is just the enrollment. The figures on pass-outs and drop-outs are frightening. Even if youths register/enroll for the courses in Punjab, they drop out of the courses midway and move to Canada, Australia and other places abroad. The policymakers must understand that youths in Punjab are not migrating to Canada for better education or curriculum but with a plan to settle there permanently due to lack of jobs and opportunities back home. Our curriculum and course material is nowhere inferior compared to Canada or other countries but what youths want is jobs and better standard of living. The strength in the colleges and universities across Punjab has witnessed a decline of at least 30% to 40%, all due to migration. Punjab is in a serious brain drain trouble,” said Dua.
According to the AISHE report, the national-level figures reveal that total enrollment in higher educational institutes has steadily increased from 3.66 crore to 4.32 crore in the past years. But in Punjab, the trend has reversed where it has decreased from 9.59 lakh to 8.58 lakh.
The total population of youths in Punjab (18-23 years) has been pegged at 31.35 lakh for 2021-22 as per the report, declining from 32.84 lakh in 2017.