Page 64 - EW March 2025

Special Report

Union Budget 2025-26: Major education allocations — II
(Rs. crore)
Department of Higher Education 2024-25 2024-25 2025-26
(RE*)
1. Directorate of Hindi 16.54 20.95 25.25
2. Central Institute of Indian
Languages (CIIL), Mysore and
Regional Language Centers 46.07 40.81 48.6
3. World Class Institutions 1,800 1,000 475.12
4. Indian Knowledge Systems 10 10 50
5. PM Ucchatar Shiksha Protsahan
Yojana 1,558 1,000 1,560
6. PM Research Fellowships 350 282.4 600
7. Digital India e-learning 505 1,595 681
8. Research and Innovation 355 74.5 327
Narendar Pani: optimisation neglect 9. Malaviya Mission Teacher
Training Programme 100 50 70
unique self and peer learning capa- 10. Global Initiative for Academic
bilities have inherent capability to Network (GIAN) 10 5 15
create and apply new knowledge and
invent globally acclaimed goods and 11. National Apprenticeship Training
services. And also record productivity Scheme (NATS) 600 750 1,178
increases that will pitch the perenni- 12. Centres of Excellence (CoE) in
ally floundering Indian economy into Artificial Intelligence (AI) 255 110 200
a new higher growth orbit. 13. University Grants Commission (UGC) 2,500 3,014 3,335.97
Renowned computer scientist and
educational theorist Prof. Sugata Mi- 14. All India Council for Technical Education
tra’s revealing computer-in-the-wall (AICTE) 2,500 3,014 3,335.97
experiment in a Kolkata slum (1999); 15. Central Universities 15,472 15,538.23 16,146.11
the dazzling success of the Indian di-
aspora driven by enabling infrastruc- 16. Deemed Universities promoted by
ture, and emergence of several Indian Central Government 596 573 604
cricket and other sports champions 17. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) 10,324.50 10,467.13 11,349
provided minimal training facilities,
are ample proof that given access to 18. Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) 212.21 227.89 251.89
half-decent nutrition and enabling 19. Indian Institute(s) of Science, Education
infrastructure, India’s children and and Research (IISER) 1,540.08 1,479.75 1,353.33
youth endowed with exceptional self 20. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) 918.27 848.27 900
and peer learning capabilities can
conquer the world. Provided globally 21. Indian Institutes of Information
benchmarked education infrastruc- Technology (IIITs) 515.91 439.43 522.2
ture and facilities, they have the ca- 22. Schools of Planning and Architecture 185.87 154.5 169
pability to evolve into high productiv-
ity, globally competitive professionals 23. Indira Gandhi National Open University
in all fields of endeavour and walks of (IGNOU) 140 130 147
life. Therefore in the dawn of a new 24. National Institutes of Technical Teachers
age of inventions and innovation Training and Research (NITTTRs) 110 156.5 159
powered by game-changing artificial Total: 47,619.77 46,482.35 50,077.95
intelligence and digital connectivity,
there’s urgent need for a concerted na- Source: www.indiabudget.gov.in * Revised expenditure
tional effort to develop the country’s

64 EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2025