Union Budget 2025-26: A New Era for Education
The Union Budget for 2025-26 has introduced transformative initiatives aimed at enhancing India’s education system. With a focus on making India a global education hub, the government has outlined several key measures. These initiatives target the expansion of medical education, the enhancement of skilling infrastructure, and the growth of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The overarching goal is to provide more opportunities for youth and equip them with essential skills for the future.
Innovative Initiatives in Education
The Union Budget 2025-26 emphasizes education as a top priority. One of the standout initiatives is the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, which aims to provide digital Indian language books for school and higher education. This initiative is designed to help students better understand their subjects in their native languages.
Additionally, the government plans to establish National Centres of Excellence for Skilling. Building on the previous budget’s focus, these centers will partner with global institutions to equip youth with vital skills. They will focus on curriculum design, trainer training, skills certification, and regular reviews to ensure quality education.
Another significant initiative is the expansion of capacity in IITs. The government will create additional infrastructure in five IITs established after 2014, allowing for the education of 6,500 more students. This expansion is crucial as the total number of students in IITs has doubled over the past decade, from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. Furthermore, a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education will be set up with a budget of 500 crore, highlighting the government’s commitment to integrating technology into education.
Growth in Medical Education
The Union Budget also addresses the pressing need for more medical professionals in India. Over the past decade, the government has added nearly 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats, marking a 130% increase. In the upcoming year, an additional 10,000 seats will be introduced in medical colleges and hospitals, contributing to the goal of adding 75,000 seats over the next five years.
This expansion is critical as the demand for healthcare professionals continues to rise. The number of candidates aspiring to study MBBS has surged from 16 lakh in 2019 to 24 lakh in 2024. Correspondingly, the number of MBBS seats has increased from 70,012 in FY19 to 1,18,137 in FY25. The government aims to ensure that the doctor-to-population ratio meets the World Health Organization’s standard of 1:1000 by 2030, with an annual increase of 50,000 doctors.
Enhancing Infrastructure and Access
The Indian education system has seen significant improvements in infrastructure and access over the years. According to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), the system serves 24.8 crore students across 14.72 lakh schools, supported by 98 lakh teachers. Government schools account for 69% of the total, enrolling 50% of students and employing 51% of teachers.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims for a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2030. Currently, the GER is nearly universal at the primary level (93%), but efforts are ongoing to bridge gaps at the secondary (77.4%) and higher secondary levels (56.2%). The total enrollment in higher education has risen dramatically, reaching 4.33 crore in 2021-22, a 26.5% increase from 3.42 crore in 2014-15.
Moreover, women’s participation in higher education has seen remarkable growth. Female enrollment rose from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.07 crore in 2021-22, marking a 32% increase. This progress is particularly evident in fields such as Medical Science, Social Science, and Arts, where women are now leading in enrollment.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.