As the Union Budget 2025-26 approaches, the education sector—a cornerstone of India’s socio-economic progress—is buzzing with anticipation. With a focus on realising the aspirations outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and paving the way for Education 4.0, experts from diverse institutions share their insights and expectations.

Driving towards the NEP’s goals

Arti Dawar, Deputy CEO of Shiv Nadar School, underscores the NEP’s ambitious target of achieving a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 50% by 2035 in higher education, including vocational streams. She highlights the sector’s long-standing call for allocating 6% of GDP to education. “We expect the government to increase collaboration with industry on internships, skill-based training, and investments in technology-driven solutions,” Dawar said. She also emphasises the need for faster patent approvals and grants for educational institutions, alongside initiatives like the PM Vidyalakshmi scheme to improve access to education.

Strengthening digital infrastructure and global competitiveness

Prof. Swapnil Sahoo of the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, is hopeful for increased support for higher education following last year’s 7.99% budgetary increase to Rs 47,620 crore. He stresses the need for digital infrastructure and literacy investments as essential for achieving the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision by 2047. “Equitable education must remain a priority, with funding to bridge the urban-rural divide,” he said. Sahoo also advocates for GST exemptions on educational services, easing regulations for private institutions, and fostering global collaboration through initiatives like ‘Study in India.’

Promoting innovation and industry-academia collaboration

Praveen K. Pula, President and Chancellor of Woxsen University, echoes the importance of boosting higher education’s global competitiveness. “Increased fiscal allocation for innovation-driven research, skill-based learning, and global partnerships is essential,” he said.

Pula believes that while primary and secondary education have been prioritized in recent years, the focus must now shift to strengthening higher education to align with the global economy’s needs. Policies advancing industry-academia collaboration and technological integration are key to achieving this.

Building leadership and expanding infrastructure

Prof. Atul Khosla, Vice Chancellor of Shoolini University, places the spotlight on India’s journey to becoming a $10 trillion economy, which demands the cultivation of three million new leaders across various sectors. “India’s educational institutions must be empowered to nurture talent capable of global leadership,” Khosla said. He calls for greater private sector involvement in establishing world-class universities and provisions in the budget to elevate educational standards while ensuring accessibility for financially disadvantaged students.

A shared vision for transformation

From calls for increased budgetary allocations to technological integration, industry collaboration, and bridging educational divides, the expectations for the Union Budget 2025-26 align with a shared vision: transforming India’s education system to meet future challenges. As stakeholders await the budget announcement, the hope remains that it will provide the impetus needed to build a robust and inclusive educational ecosystem, fostering innovation, accessibility, and excellence.