Recent Estimates on the Determinants of Higher Education Attainment in India

Kaibalyapati Mishra, Krishna Raj

Abstract: This paper examines patterns and determinants of higher education attainment in India using nationally representative data from the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) of the National Sample Survey Office. The analysis focuses on individuals aged 18 and above, the analysis investigates how disability status, social identity, household structure, economic resources, and spatial location shape access to higher education. Employing a logistic regression framework, the study estimates marginal effects and odds ratios for overall higher education attainment and disaggregated levels of education, while also conducting extensive heterogeneity analysis across gender, caste, religion, and rural?urban residence. The results reveal persistent and pronounced inequalities. Household size, caste, religion, and economic status remain powerful predictors of educational attainment, with Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Muslim individuals facing substantially lower odds of enrollment. Urban residence and household economic resources significantly increase access, highlighting the continuing importance of spatial and economic advantage. Interestingly, women show a slight but notable advantage in higher education enrollment relative to men, signalling a reversal of historical gender gaps at the entry level. However, this advantage is fragile and sharply eroded by marital status, particularly for married, widowed, and divorced women. Heterogeneity analyses further demonstrate that the intensity and form of disadvantage vary systematically across social groups and locations, with economic resources partially mitigating- but not eliminating- structural barriers. Overall, the findings underscore the coexistence of expanding access with deeply entrenched inequalities, pointing to the need for targeted and intersectionally informed policy interventions in Indian higher education.

Keywords: Higher Education, Educational Inequality, Caste, Gender, Religion, Urban?Rural Divide, India, Household Structure

How to Cite?: Kaibalyapati Mishra, Krishna Raj, "Recent Estimates on the Determinants of Higher Education Attainment in India", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 482-489, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26105235707, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26105235707