New Delhi: Despite the fact that the share of private sector in higher education is already more than 60%, the PMO has stressed increasing private participation in the sector.

Further, to speed-up the involvement of private participation in education, the PMO has asked the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry to prepare a comprehensive legislation to encourage private investment in the sector.

A majority of experts feel that the government should first push for the OBC Reservation Bill in unaided institutions rather than dishing out a comprehensive legislation giving them more freedom.

Even without any legislation during the 10th Plan, the share of private unaided higher education institutions saw an increment from 42.6% in 2001 to 63.21% in 2006. Their share of enrolments also increased from 32.89% to 51.53% in the same period.

The 11th Plan document also points out: "This trend is likely to continue and therefore, it is reasonable to expect that about half of incremental enrolment targeted for higher education will come from private providers."