Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 today, introducing several initiatives to enhance education, skill development, and research. The budget focuses on preparing students for evolving job markets, expanding digital access, and strengthening higher education institutions.

Major Announcements For Education Sector:

Atal Tinkering Labs to Foster Innovation

The government plans to establish 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years. These labs aim to nurture curiosity, scientific thinking, and innovation among students.

Broadband Connectivity For Rural Schools

Under the BharatNet project, all government secondary schools in rural areas will receive broadband connectivity, bridging the digital divide and improving access to online learning resources.

Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme For Digital Learning

The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme will provide Indian language books in digital format for school and higher education students, making learning materials more accessible and enhancing subject comprehension.

National Centres Of Excellence For Skilling

Building on last year’s initiative, five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling will be established. These centres will collaborate with global experts to design curricula, train instructors, develop a skills certification framework, and conduct periodic reviews.

IIT Infrastructure Expansion

The student capacity at 23 IITs has doubled over the past decade, growing from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. Additional infrastructure will be developed in five IITs established after 2014, creating space for 6,500 more students. IIT Patna will also see expanded hostel and campus facilities.

Centre Of Excellence In AI For Education

A new Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for education will be set up with an outlay of Rs 500 crore. This follows previous AI centers focused on agriculture, healthcare, and sustainable cities.

Expansion Of Medical Education

To address the growing demand for medical professionals, 10,000 new seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals next year, contributing to the target of 75,000 additional seats over five years.

Investments In Research and Innovation

Boosting Research, Development, and Innovation

The government has allocated Rs 20,000 crore for a private-sector-driven Research, Development, and Innovation initiative, announced in the July 2024 Budget, to encourage scientific advancements.

PM Research Fellowship Expansion

Over the next five years, 10,000 fellowships will be awarded under the PM Research Fellowship program to support advanced technological research in IITs and IISc, with increased financial assistance.