Union Budget 2022: What can be expected for education sector?

Education Budget 2022: As the Government of India has announced to present the Union Budget on February 1, 2022, the talks and predictions on what can be expected by the Government in various sectors, including Education have begun. As the Union Budget will be presented amid the COVID-19, the learning losses, the fragile economic recovery, and the interest in the implementation of the National Education Policy can be seen as significant aspects of the Education Budget 2022.

Experts expect the Government in its upcoming Union Budget 2022 to shift a lot of focus to the Education sector. From the allocation towards education in the annual budget to seeking the faculty up-gradation programme, the need to focus more on the sector amid the changing times has never been higher.

Education Budget 2022 Expectations

1. Access to laptops at schools and university levels

As the changing times with COVID-19 have made the significant sectors dependent on the digital world, subsidized access to the laptops to all the students and the faculty members will be needed for the live or recorded instructions. If the government is able to provide subsidized access to laptops, the quality of education will receive a great boost.

2. Increase in internet infrastructure and access to 5G internet

Easy access to all forms of knowledge has become important and is now dependent in the high-quality internet. Bu giving access to free or subsidized internet, the government will be able to increase the access of students to e-resources.

3. Higher allocation towards Education sector in overall budget

In 2021, the Central Government had slashed its allocation towards Education by 6%, amounting to a total allocation of Rs. 93,223 crores. However, in 2022, the government is expected to increase the allocation by around 10 percent since the last year’s reduction was attributed towards healthcare.

4. Access to research grants

As the National Education Policy aims at dismantling the man-made barriers, the Universities in the country seek to adopt not only a liberal framework but also fostering strong research. The government is expected to bring the policy to allow graded access to research funds for high-quality education.

5. Support to EdTech Startups

EdTech Startups are the forerunners in disseminating the skills as well as the conceptual knowledge. However, the startups require financial support from the upcoming government budget in the form of funding support and longer-term tax exemptions.

Why a boost to Education Budget 2022 is needed?

As the country moves forwards to 2022 with a new pandemic unfolding, it has become clear that education technology will play a significant role in the sector. With the unpredictable nature of the current times, it is important to adapt to these times and bring changes in the teaching assessments, pedagogies, and learning environments at both school and university levels.