Key Points
- Budget to be presented at the Parliament at 11 AM today
- Funding expected for better IIT infrastructure, increased medical seats
- Expectations also high for increased medical colleges
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her ninth Union Budget today, February 1, 2026. The Union Budget 2026 will be presented in the Parliament today, at 11 AM. In the previous year's budget, the education sector received a total allocation of Rs. 1,28,650.05 crore, which is a 6.65% increase from its previous year. The school education and literacy department was allotted Rs. 78,572 crore, which is nearly 11,000 crore higher. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan received allocations upto Rs. 41,250 crore
Economic Survey 2026: Education and Healthcare
According to the Economic Survey 2026, India's journey toward Viksit Bharat hinges on inclusive growth and upward social and economic mobility for every citizen. The survey states that, in the education space, progress in school and higher education has been at the back of enhanced quality and access through community engagement, effective assessments, improved accountability, and stronger alignment between education and skill requirements. The survey further highlights how public health and education are mutually reinforcing pillars of human capital development, social well-being, and economic growth, and notable achievements and continuing challenges have marked the progress in public Health and education.
As per the highlights of the survey, India now has 23 IITs, 21 IIMs and 20 AIIMS, alongside the establishment of two international IIT campuses in Zanzibar and Abu Dhabi. Achievements in the education space have been marked by enhanced literacy rates, increasing enrolment in schools and higher education institutions, provision of vocational education avenues, etc., the survey adds. The Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) have played a crucial role in shaping the education landscape by expanding access to quality education universally, promoting equity, and driving innovation in teaching and learning. School education forms the foundation of human capital and is central to shaping the nation’s growth path towards Viksit Bharat @2047, the survey highlights.
Economic Survey 2026 Education and Healthcare - Click Here
The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) reached 90.9 for the primary stage and 90.3 for the upper primary stage. The Academic Bank of Credit covers 2660 institutions, with over 4.6 crore IDs issued. Flexible entry-exit pathways and biannual admissions were introduced by 153 universities to achieve the NEP target of 50 % GER by 2035. Indian HEIs offer twinning, joint, and dual degree programmes with reputed foreign universities, while 15 foreign HEIs are expected to set up campuses in India. Structured skilling pathways in secondary schools will provide early exposure to employable competencies, says economic survey 2025-2026.
What is Expected from the Budget This Year?
Expectations are high for better utilisation of funds, stronger school reforms and higher investment in universities, skills development, provisions for easier education loans, etc. It is also expected that allocations will continue for PM Shri Schools, and other government initiatives taken towards improving the Education Sector. Provisions will be made to increase medical seats and improve the infrastructure of IITs across the country, set up new AIIMS and other medical colleges for improved medical education.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation