In her Union Budget 2025 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a major initiative to boost broadband connectivity in schools across the country. The government plans to leverage the BharatNet project to boost high-speed internet connectivity through BharatNet across schools in India ensuring that students, even in the most remote areas, can benefit from digital education.
What is BharatNet?
BharatNet is a government-led project that provides high-speed broadband connectivity to rural and remote areas of India. Launched in 2011, the project aims to deliver high-speed internet across villages and towns through an optical fiber network to connect villages and towns. BharatNet aims to provide affordable broadband to schools, healthcare centers, and other public institutions, while also enabling digital services for rural communities
How BharatNet will help schools in India
With the government’s increased investment in the BharatNet initiative, the focus will be on extending high-speed internet to schools, particularly those in underserved regions. This will enable a range of benefits for the education sector such as better access to online learning platforms, educational videos, and other digital resources. By improving connectivity in rural and remote schools, BharatNet will help bridge the digital divide, ensuring that students across the country have equal access to educational opportunities.
Teachers will also benefit from online training and professional development opportunities empowering them with the latest skills to use digital tools effectively in their classrooms. The improved broadband connectivity will enable more efficient delivery of government educational schemes and initiatives to schools nationwide.
