NEW DELHI: Broadband connectivity for government secondary schools, a centre of excellence for artificial intelligence and the expansion of five new IITs are among the key announcements related to the education sector made in the Union Budget 2025-26 Speech on February 1.
The total budget for education for the 2025-26 financial year (FY) stands at Rs 1,28,650 crore – Rs 78,572 crore for the Department of School Education and Literacy and Rs 50,078 crore for the Department of Higher Education.
Though Nirmala Sitharaman, in her speech, said for the Union government, “Viksit Bharat encompasses 100% good-quality school education,” the increase in budgetary allocation has been minimal.
The FY26 allocation has increased by Rs 8,022 crore, or nearly 7%, over FY25, but as a percentage of the GDP, the change is negligible. In FY25, allocation to the education sector was about 0.37% of India’s GDP. This year, it is about 0.36%.
The Samagra Shiksha, a merger of multiple schemes aimed at improving schooling opportunities and learning outcomes, has seen an increase in allocation this year. From an allocation of Rs 37,500 crore in FY25, this year’s allocation is up to Rs 41,250 crore.
Another key scheme for preventing dropouts, the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) or the mid-day meal scheme, saw only a negligible increase in allocation (from Rs 12,467.39 crore in FY25 to Rs 12,500 in FY26).
50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs planned
The finance minister also announced the expansion of infrastructure at five new IITs started after 2014. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded, she revealed during the Budget speech.
Additionally, 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools in the next five years. These labs will allow students to work with equipment to understand STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts.
The finance minister also announced a Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme to provide digital Indian language books to students. She also announced a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore.