Centre for Educational and Social Studies

Highlights of Union Budget 2021-22: Education

The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman ji announced the Union Budget for the
financial year 2021-22 on February 01, 2021. The budget proposal rests on 6 pillars of which
Reinvigorating Human Capital and Innovation and R & D, which comes under the ambit of
Education. The budget has given a major push to the proposed NEP 2020 and has allocated
budget for many upcoming projects that comes under the umbrella of NEP 2020. A total of
amount Rs. 93,224 crore is allocated for the Ministry of Education.

Reinvigorating Human Capital

Expenditure Budget for Education

School
Rs. 54,874 Cr.
Education
Rs. 93,224
Crore
Higher
Rs. 38, 350 Cr.
Education

Highlights of Education Budget

School Education
1. 15,000 schools to be strengthened by implementing all NEP components. They
shall act as exemplar schools in their regions for mentoring others
2. 100 new Sainik Schools to be set up in partnership with NGOs/private
schools/states
3. Establishment of 750 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools in tribal areas
Higher Education

1. Legislation to be introduced to setup Higher Education Commission of India as

an umbrella body with 4 separate vehicles for standard-setting, accreditation,
regulation, and funding
2. Creation of Formal Umbrella Structure to cover all Govt. colleges, universities,
research institutions in a city for greater synergy.
 Glue grant to implement the same across 9 cities
3. Central University to come up in Leh for accessibility of higher education in
Ladakh

Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Welfare

1. 750 Eklavya model residential schools in tribal areas:
 Unit cost of each school to be increased to Rs. 38 crore
 For hilly and difficult areas, to Rs. 48 crore
 Focus on creation of robust infrastructure facilities for tribal students
2. Revamped Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for welfare of SCs
 Rs. 35,219 crore enhanced Central Assistance for 6 years till 2025- 2026
 4 crore SC students to benefit

Skilling

1. Proposed amendment to Apprenticeship Act to enhance opportunities for youth

2. Rs. 3000 crore for realignment of existing National Apprenticeship Training
Scheme (NATS) towards post-education apprenticeship, training of graduates
and diploma holders in Engineering
3. Initiatives for partnership with other countries in skilling to be taken forward,
similar to partnership:
 With UAE to benchmark skill qualifications, assessment, certification, and
deployment of certified workforce
 With Japan for a collaborative Training Inter Training Programme (TITP) to
transfer of skills, technique and knowledge
 Innovation and R&D

1. Modalities of National Research Foundation announced in July 2019 –

 Rs. 50,000 crore outlay over 5 years
 To strengthen overall research ecosystem with focus on national-priority
thrust areas
2. Rs. 1,500 crore for proposed scheme to promote digital modes of payment
3. National Language Translation Mission (NTLM) to make governance-and-
policy related knowledge available in major Indian languages
4. PSLV-CS51 to be launched by New Space India Limited (NSIL) carrying Brazil‟s
Amazonia Satellite and some Indian satellite
5. As part of the Gaganyaan Mission activities:
 4 Indian astronauts being trained on Generic Space Flight aspects, in
Russia
 First unmanned launch is slated for December 2021
 Rs. 4,000 crore over five years for Deep Ocean Mission survey exploration
and conservation of deep sea biodiversity

Initiatives on NEP 2020

 Standards will be developed for all school teachers in the form of National
Professional Standards for Teachers- NPST.

 A unique indigenous toy-based learning – pedagogy for all levels of school

education will be developed.

 A National Digital Educational Architecture (NDEAR) will be set up within the

context of a Digital First Mindset where the Digital Architecture.

 For children with hearing impairments, the Government will work on

standardization of Indian Sign language across the country, and develop
National and State Curriculum materials for use by them.
  Retired and Senior Teachers will be used for individual mentoring of school
teachers and educators through constant online/offline support on subjects,
themes and pedagogy.
 A holistic progress card is envisaged to provide students with valuable
information on their strengths, areas of interest, needed areas of focus and
thereby helping them in making optimal career choices.
 Online modules covering the entire gamut of adult education will be
introduced.
 30 lakh elementary school teachers digitally, covering the whole gamut of
education during the pandemic. More 56 lakh school teachers through the
National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers for Holistic Advancement
(NISTHA).
 CBSE Board Exam reforms in a phased manner to be effective from the 2022-
23 academic session will be introduced.
 Exams will move away from rote-learning and students shall be tested on
their conceptual clarity, analytical skills and application of knowledge to real
life situations.
 A regulatory mechanism to permit dual degrees, joint degrees, twinning
arrangements and other such mechanisms in the context of enhancing
academic collaborations with foreign higher educational institutions

Source: Union Budget, Ministry of Finance, GoI

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CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL STUDIES
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