In a year that has seen continued disruption in schooling of students across the country, it was feared as to how much attention the school education sector would get in the much-awaited Union Budget for the year 2022-23. Thankfully though, the Finance Ministry decided that the sector would require additional support when compared to last year. This year there has been an allocation of Rs 63,449.37 crore which is a handsome 15.6 per cent more than last year's allocation of Rs 54,873.66 crore. The budget allocated this time compares even more favourably to last year's revised budget of Rs 51,969.95 crore.
Of special note is the increase in budget allocated to the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS). KVS' budget rose from Rs 6,800 crore to Rs 7,650 crore, an increase of 12.5 per cent. On the other hand, NVS' budget rose by 8.28 per cent from Rs 3,800 crore to Rs 4,115 crore.
The Finance Minister tabled the budget at 11 am on February 1. President Ram Nath Kovind kicked off the Budget Session of the Parliament on January 31, following which FM Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey. Last year, the Union Budget allotted resources towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan extensively, be it in the social sector, energy, government reforms, migrant workers or agriculture. While the National Education Policy was the focus, the education sector saw a budgetary slash of 6 per cent from Rs 99 crore to Rs 93.2 crore last year.
