Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a significant increase in allocation for the education sector, focusing on last-mile broadband connectivity in rural schools that were worst hit by insufficient internet coverage during Covid. Infrastructure expansion for IITs, medical education and AI in learning were also among the Budget highlights.
The digital push is expected to boost broadband connectivity at all govt secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas.
Five of the newer IITs – in Jammu, Bhilai, Dharwad, Palakkad and Tirupati – would be expanded to accommodate 6,500 more students over the next five years. And, ahead of the Bihar assembly polls scheduled later this year, IIT-Patna is set to receive funds for enhanced infrastructure, including hostels.
“The total number of students in 23 IITs has doubled in the past decade from 65,000 to 1.4 lakh,” said FM Sitharaman. The IIT budget has increased to Rs 11,349 crore from Rs 10,467 crore.
To strengthen research, 10,000 fellowships for technology research in IITs and IISc will be provided over five years. Five national centres for excellence (CoEs) in skilling will also be set up, along with 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in govt schools to promote scientific curiosity. A CoE in AI for education will also be established with a Rs 500-crore outlay.
Sitharaman said the education ministry will get Rs 1.3 lakh crore, up from Rs 1.1 lakh crore in 2024-25. Of this, Rs 50,067 crore is for higher education and Rs 78,572 crore for school education.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan called the Budget a “leapfrogging moment” for the sector. “With poor, youth, farmers and women as the pillars, this Budget will accelerate spending, spur growth and nurture research, innovation, entrepreneurship,” he said.
While allocations for UGC, NCERT and IIMs have increased, funding for IISERs and World Class Institutions has seen cuts.