Educators gloomy about cut in allocation to the sector in Interim Budget

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to present Union Budget this month

Educators are cautious about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s allocation to the education ministry, which comprises two departments: the Department of School Education and Literacy, and the Department of Higher Education.

Budget 2024 has earmarked Rs 1. 20 lakh crore for education, which is Rs 9,091 crore, or 7.26 percent, less than the revised estimate of Rs 1,29,718 crore for 2023-24.

“The decline in the higher education budget for 24-25 will have a significant impact on investments in the field of higher education, at a time when we will see a push for artificial intelligence,” said Dr Kulneet Suri, Senior Director, Institute of Management Studies, Noida.

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Allocation for school education has increased by a meagre 0.7 percent from Rs 72,473 crore (revised estimate) in 2023-24, to Rs 73,008 crore (budgeted estimate) in 2024-25. Further, higher education has received Rs 47,619 crore in 2024-25, a decline of 18 percent from Rs 57,244 crore (revised estimate) in 2023-24.

Allocation to the University Grants Commission (UGC) stands at Rs 2,500 crore. Last year, the UGC was allotted Rs 6,409 crore (revised estimate).

Allocation to the different departments of the Ministry of Education

“This reduction will inevitably have an adverse impact on the quality of education provided by institutions. Furthermore, it is disheartening to note that the government has not taken into account the effects of inflation, increase in dearness allowance (DA), salaries, and other essential components involved in running an institution,” said Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, Chancellor, Lovely Professional University.

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The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) received Rs 10,324 crore (budget estimate) for FY25, against Rs 10,384 crore (revised estimate) in FY24.

Budget Allocation to the Ministry of Education over the years

However, educators say they are hopeful that the final budget, to be presented in July, will make up for the shortfalls.

“Let's bear in mind that this is the interim budget. I’m hoping for positive announcements in the budget to be presented in July, after the general elections this year. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions a gross enrolment ratio of 50 percent in higher education and vocational education by the year 2035. Meeting this goal is imperative to create human capital that will spur the country’s emergence as an industrial and economic superpower in Amrit Kaal,” said Dr Rajiv R Thakur, Director General, Jaipuria School Of Business, Ghaziabad.

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