This study sought to find out how being involved in extracurricular activities (ECAs) can influence development of personality, academics, and social skills of 8th and 9th class school children in Delhi. The findings are that
the ECAs impact the personality development of the students significantly whereas their impact on academic level of students is not significant. This can be true as the ECAs listed down by the students do not seem to have much effect on academic performance. Also, the ECAs do reduce the time spent by the students on academics at home, given that homework is given for them.

Keywords: Extracurricular activities, Academic level, Personality development, Regressions.

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to raise the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035. This study presents a comprehensive statistical assessment to evaluate the feasibility of this target by forecasting GER trends, estimating institutional and faculty requirements, and analyzing disparities across states, gender, and social groups. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education, the analysis examines access gaps and regional inequalities within the higher education system. Based on data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) and demographic projections, enrolment is forecasted using time series models. Results show that while GER may reach around 44.02 % by 2035 under baseline trends, achieving the NEP target will require accelerated expansion of institutional infrastructure and recruitment of faculty. The study also reveals persistent statewise disparities in GER, gender parity, and social group enrolments. Further, the correlation between GER and number of colleges per lakh population has weakened over time, indicating that institutional expansion alone may no longer drive growth. Policy recommendations focus on balanced infrastructural expansion, improving faculty strength, and targeted equity interventions to support inclusive growth in Indian higher education.

Keywords: Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), Higher Education Inequality, Gini Coefficient, AISHE Data, NEP 2020, SDG4.