As the anticipation for the upcoming 2024-25 budget builds, a significant point of interest revolves around whether the government will increase the education budget beyond the 13% mark or maintain a more conservative approach. The previous budget allocations and the overall commitment to education growth offer some clues but also pose several questions.
A recap of the 2023 Budget
In the 2023-24 budget, the Ministry of Education received a substantial allocation of Rs 1,12,899 crore, reflecting a notable 13% increase from the previous year. This amount represented 2.9% of the central government’s overall estimated expenditure for the fiscal year 2023-24. The increased allocation was aimed at several key initiatives, including:
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan which includes all major policies and programmes in school education, received a budgetary allocation of Rs 37,453 crore for 2023-24. However, the revised estimate, which reflects the actual expenditure, indicates that only Rs 33,000 crore was spent on the scheme.
The budget also focused on teacher recruitment, with plans to hire over 38,000 teachers for Ekalavya Schools. In the area of research and development, it proposed the introduction of dedicated research programmes and the establishment of new research centres. Additionally, the apprenticeship scheme was revised, and 157 new nursing colleges were added.
Trends in education funding
Over the years, the education budget has seen incremental increases. For instance, the allocation for education in 2021-22 was Rs 64,277 crore, which was later increased to Rs 84,952 crore, inclusive of basic, secondary and higher education. This trend of increasing allocations demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the educational infrastructure and quality.
The 2023 budget notably allocated Rs 68,805 crore for school education, marking a 16.5% increase from the revised expectations of the previous fiscal year. Similarly, higher education received Rs 44,095 crore, reflecting an 8% rise from the revised estimates of FY23.
These figures indicate a robust commitment to both school and higher education sectors.
Given the previous allocations and the growth trends, several factors will influence whether the government will increase the budget beyond 12% in the upcoming fiscal year:
Experts’ predictions
Experts suggest that the overall economic health and revenue collections will play a crucial role. A strong economic performance might enable higher allocations. Education has been a focal point for the current government, but competing priorities in other sectors might impact the final allocation. The success and challenges faced in the initiatives funded by the 2023 budget could influence the decision. If the initiatives like Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan and the recruitment drives show promising results, there might be a push for further investment.
“If the economic conditions remain favourable and the government prioritise education, we might see an increase beyond the 13% mark. This would align with the trend of continuous support for educational initiatives and the need to further strengthen the educational framework. On the other hand, if there are fiscal constraints or competing demands from other sectors, the government might opt to maintain a conservative increase, staying within the limits of the previous years’ increments,” a school teacher said on the basis of anonymity.
