Over the past two financial years, education funding has significantly increased, focusing on expanding outreach, enhancing skill development and improving educational quality. The education sector in India has seen significant budgetary allocations. In the interim budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, the Indian government earmarked a record Rs 73,498 crore for the Department of School Education and Literacy. As the BJP prepares to announce its 11th budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, let’s take a retrospective look at the key highlights of India’s education budgets from financial year 2014-15 (FY15) to 2023-24 (FY24).
Education Budget 2014
The 2014 Union Budget allocated Rs 68,728 crore for education, focusing on addressing teacher shortages and introducing skill programs.
– Rs 100 crore for virtual classrooms under CLICK (Communication Linked Interface for Cultivating Knowledge).
– Rs 30 crore for the School Assessment Programme.
– Rs 500 crore for the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya New Teachers Training Programme to address a 1.2 million teacher shortage.
– Increased allocation for the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan from Rs 400 crore to Rs 2,200 crore.
Education Budget 2015
In 2015, the education budget saw a slight increase to Rs 68,968 crore, with a focus on higher education and new loan schemes.
– Rs 26,855 crore for Higher Education and Rs 42,219 crore for School Education and Literacy.
– Establishment of five new AIIMS, two IIMs and two IITs.
– Launch of ‘Nai Manzil,’ an integrated education and livelihood scheme.
– Introduction of education loan schemes like Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi Karyakram.
Education Budget 2016
The 2016 budget allocated Rs 72,394 crore, marking a 4.9% increase, with a focus on higher education and global competitiveness.
– Rs 43,554 crore for school education and Rs 28,840 crore for higher education.
– Establishment of the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) with initial funding of Rs 1,000 crore.
– Introduction of the Digital Literacy Mission and 62 new Navodaya Vidyalayas.
Education Budget 2017
The 2017 budget increased to Rs 79,685.95 crore, later revised to Rs 81,868 crore, emphasising education quality.
– Rs 46,356.25 crore for school education and Rs 33,329.7 crore for higher education.
– Establishment of the National Testing Agency for entrance exams.
– Introduction of skill development initiatives like STRIVE and SANKALP.
Education Budget 2018
In 2018, the education allocation rose to Rs 83,626 crore, focusing on digital transformation and job creation.
– Rs 50,000 crore for school education and Rs 35,010 crore for higher education.
– Introduction of digital boards and the ‘Study in India’ program to attract foreign students.
– HEFA allocation increased to Rs 2,750 crore.
Education Budget 2019
The 2019 budget saw a 13.4% increase, allocating Rs 94,853.64 crore, emphasising new-age skills and sports education.
– Rs 56,537 crore for school education and Rs 38,317 crore for higher education.
– Launch of the ‘Kayakave Kailasa’ initiative for skill training.
– Establishment of the National Sports Education Board.
Education Budget 2020
The 2020 budget allocated Rs 99,300 crore for education, with an additional Rs 3,000 crore for skill development.
– Focus on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
– Introduction of FDI and ECB to boost global collaboration.
– Establishment of National Police University and National Forensic University.
Education Budget 2021
The 2021 budget increased to Rs 93,224 crore, aligning with NEP reforms.
– Rs 54,874 crore for school education and Rs 38,351 crore for higher education.
– Establishment of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and a central university in Leh.
– Amendments in the Apprenticeship Act and international collaborations for skill development.
Education Budget 2022
The 2022 budget saw a substantial rise to Rs 1.04 trillion, emphasising “exemplar schools” and teacher training.
– Rs 63,449.37 crore for school education and Rs 40,828 crore for higher education.
– Continued focus on Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
– Renaming of the midday meal scheme to PM Poshan.
Education Budget 2023
The 2023 budget allocated Rs 1,12,899 crore, with significant emphasis on recruitment and research programs.
– Rs 68,805 crore for school education and Rs 44,095 crore for higher education.
– Focus on recruitment for Ekalavya Schools and establishment of new research centres.
– Increased allocation for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan.
The forthcoming 2024-25 budget is anticipated to continue this trend, further reinforcing the government’s commitment to educational excellence. “We believe that the newly formed government should consider removing GST on educational services. Ultimately, education is about imparting knowledge to children and any financial barriers, such as GST, can hinder access to quality education. Eliminating GST will make education more affordable and accessible, helping to build a stronger, more knowledgeable future generation,” Mohit Kumar Tyagi, Founder and CEO of Competishun, said.