Union Budget 2022: How does education sector read initiatives announced by FM Sitharaman?

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Ms. Shweta Sastri, Managing Director, Canadian International School, Bangalore, lauded this initiative, saying that it will enable online education to reach those places where it's still not widespread. She believes that this push to impart education in regional languages will only enable more people from rural areas to access quality education.

Another initiative that Shastri has welcomed is the setting up of a digital university that will provide students across the country personalised learning experience at their doorsteps. The university will be built on a networked hub-spoke model, with the hub building information communication technology (ICT) expertise.

Shashtri believes that this hub-and-spoke model will expand the reach of the information to the masses.

Also Read: Budget 2022 | Major announcements from FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget speech

"The Budget has addressed structural issues in the education landscape and has ensured that all children get access to education. It has also well-coincided with the opening of schools as it is important to reverse the learning loss among students," she said.

By rightly focusing on upskilling and digital learning, Shastri thinks that the Budget has given a 'boost to the education sector that will result in the nation's progress'.

Niru Agarwal, Trustee at Greenwood High International School, is of the opinion that the overall focus of the Budget has been to make education robust and responsive to students' needs in terms of quality education in rural areas, skill development, research and development and employability.

She has also welcomed the government's 'one class-one TV channel initiative' and the establishment of a digital university. She believes that these are path-breaking and innovative initiatives that will enable students to access quality education across the contry.

Also Read: Budget 2022 | Reactions from corporate sector to FM Sitharaman's announcements

"With the challenges of the online learning arrangements, the government’s decision to enhance digital learning with e-VIDYA will be a boost to the education sector. There was a necessity to train and build skills among children as this would make them employable and this has been addressed by focus on ITI’s which will undertake this task," she said.

Now what's essential is that proper implementation of these initiatives are carried out so that the digital divide gap on the ground level is bridged sooner, Shastri said. She wishes going forward more rigorous platforms be developed and curated for students to learn with ease and discipline.

While the government has increased its focus on e-education in the Union Budget, what they haven't really done is revisit the tax and regulatory framework governing such businesses. Gunjan Prabhakaran, Partner and Leader of Indirect Tax, BDO India, shared with Moneycontrol that the government needs to revisit these tax and regulatory frameworks.

"The government should incentivise ed-tech initiatives by offering tax breaks and incentives," she noted.

A few other steps taken by the government in this Budget for the education sector include vocational courses to promote critical thinking, and the setting up of 750 virtual labs in science and mathematics and 75 skilling e-labs for simulated learning environments.

The Budget also looks at empowering teachers and making them equipped with digital tools of teaching. A competitive mechanism for this will be set up, the FM proposed.