
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Budget for 2025-26 tomorrow, Saturday, February 1, with key expectations around education, healthcare, and potential tax relief for the middle class, as stated in a report by The Indian Express.
The education sector, in particular, has been advocating for the allocation of 6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) towards the public education system. The finance minister allocated Rs 1.12 lakh crore to education in the previous budget, reflecting a 13% increase from the previous year.
The Economic Survey 2024-25 was tabled in Parliament a day before the budget, highlighting key data on India's school education system.
According to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE)+ 2023-24, India’s schools serve 24.8 crore students across 14.72 lakh schools, with a teaching workforce of 98 lakh. Government schools constitute 69% of the total, enrolling 50% of students and employing 51% of teachers.
Meanwhile, private schools account for 22.5% of institutions, catering to 32.6% of students and employing 38% of teachers.
With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aiming for a 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2030, the government has been focusing on bridging gaps at the secondary (77.4% GER) and higher secondary (56.2% GER) levels. While primary education has nearly universal GER at 93%, efforts are ongoing to ensure equitable and inclusive access across all levels.
To advance the NEP 2020 vision, the government has implemented multiple initiatives, including Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA), Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS), Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), PM ScHools for Rising India (PM SHRI), Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS), and Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN).
The Union Budget 2025 is expected to further strengthen these efforts by addressing funding gaps and accelerating reforms in school education.