Higher Education in Odisha: Some Reflections with Special Reference to Technical and Professional Education

Objectives: To examine the development of higher education in Odisha with special reference to the technical/professional education. It also examines the disparity in enrolment in higher education with respect to gender and caste. Methods: This study mainly based on the secondary data collected from various sources. It analyses the results using (i) Annual Compound Growth Rate, (ii) Gender Parity Index (iii) Gross Enrolment Ratio (iv) Index of Gender Equality, (v) Index of Social Equality, and (vi) Co-efficient of Equality. Findings: During the post reform period there is rapid expansion of universities and technical/professional institutes in the state. As far as growth of teachers is concerned the ACGR of teachers is highest in universities followed by technical/professional institutes and general colleges. The growth rate of girls’ enrolment was higher than that of boys in both general and technical/professional education. ACGR of enrolment in technical education was higher than that of general education. Over the years though enrolment in technical/professional education is increasing but the proportion is more in general education. GER in higher education by gender and caste in the state is less than the national average. The GPI in technical education is lower than general education. The index of gender equity, index of social equity and coefficient of equality in enrolment are less than 100. So, there exist inequalities by gender and caste in higher education in Odisha. Improvements: It is suggested that the government has to take special measures like provision of special incentive scheme for girls, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in order to increase their participation in higher education in the state.