Gross Enrolment Ratio concept – UGC NET Question

Gross Enrolment Ratio is a widely used indicator that relates the total number of students enrolled at a given level of education, irrespective of age, to the population of the official age group for that level. In higher education, it is often measured for the 18–23 years age cohort. The stem describes exactly this percentage of the eligible age group enrolled in higher education, so the missing word is “Enrolment.” Therefore, Option B correctly completes the term Gross Enrolment Ratio.

Option A:
GER helps policymakers evaluate how widely higher education opportunities are being used and whether access is expanding over time. It also allows comparison between regions and countries by standardising enrolment relative to population size. These roles correspond closely to the indicator discussed in the question.

Option B:
Completion ratio would focus on the proportion of students who finish a programme rather than those who enter it. While important for efficiency analysis, it is not the measure defined in the stem.

Option C:
Retention ratio generally refers to the ability of institutions to keep students from dropping out between years or semesters. It is different from gross enrolment, which is about initial participation levels.

Option D:
Employment ratio would indicate the proportion of people employed and is not directly a higher education participation measure. It cannot replace the word required to form the well-known term Gross Enrolment Ratio.