How Much do Households Spend on Professional Higher Education in India? Results from a National Survey

We find very little evidence of household investment in professional higher education in India that has seen the highest participation of the private sector. This article examines the variability of household expenditure on professional higher education in India and its relationship with socioeconomic and institutional factors. We find that households in India spend close to half of their annual income per child for accessing professional higher education. The study confirms the presence of a pro-male bias in household expenditure on professional higher education with an additional preference among poor households. Students enrolled in private institutions have spent significantly higher than those enrolled in public-funded institutions, and interestingly, this gap is not only due to the difference in the payment of fees but also due to expenses in non-fee items. The findings from this analysis have important policy insights which would contribute towards making professional higher education equitable and inclusive in India as aimed in the National Education Policy 2020.