The Union Finance Minister presented the Budget 2022 today and the education budget focused mainly on digital education, the creation of a digital university, job creation, agricultural universities, skill development of programmers, etc.
The education budget 2022 has been allotted Rs 1,04,278 crore -- a rise of Rs 11,054 crore from the previous year. The education allocation for 2021-22 was Rs. 93,223 crores, which was reduced by 6% as compared to the year before.
The biggest ask from education experts this year was an increase in the overall allocation, and the government has delivered with an 11% increase. But is that enough?
Education budget 2022 nowhere near 6% of GDP
The National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP) calls for public investment on education to 6% of GDP. India’s education budget has never touched this number yet.
As per the Economic Survey presented by Union Finance Minister on Monday, January 31, the expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was:
2019-20: 2.8%
2020-21: 3.1% (as per the revised estimate)
2021-22: 3.1% (as per the budget estimate)
To meet the 6% of GDP criteria, the education budget for 2022-23 should have been almost double that of last year’s allocation.
Education Budget 2022: Main areas of budget allocation
The main areas of education budget allocation are as follows:
Department of School Education and Literacy: Rs 63,449.37 crore (Last year, it was Rs 54,873.66 crore while the revised estimate was Rs 51,969 crore) Scheme allocation: Rs 51,052 crores. Non Scheme allocation: Rs 12,400 crores. Department of Higher Education: Rs 41000 crore and Rs 18.01 crore (capital) (Last year, it was Rs 38,350.65 crore while the revised estimate was Rs 36,031.60 crore). Scheme allocation: Rs 7455 crores. Non Scheme allocation: Rs 34000 crores.
Union Budget 2022: Budget allocation for major schemes under education
Samara Shikhar Abhinav: Also called the National Education Mission, this is India’s biggest school education scheme. This year’s allocation wasn’t able to go back to the level of 2020-21 even after a hike of more than Rs 6000 crores. Some Bank for funding Samara Shikhar Abhinav and creating exemplar schools.
- Budget allocation for 2022-23: Rs 37,383 crores.
- Budget allocation for 2021-22: Rs 31,050 crores.
- Budget allocation for 2020-21: Rs 38,750 crores.
Exemplar Schools: The concept of ‘exemplar schools’ was first introduced in Budget 2021 where Sitharaman had proposed that 15,000 schools be converted to exemplar schools with quality education in 2021-22.
Teachers Training, Adult Education:
Budget allocation for 2022-23: Rs 127 crores.
Budget allocation for 2021-22: Rs 250 crores.
Budget allocation for 2020-21: Rs 110 crores.
New scheme: This is another adult education scheme that focuses on basic literacy 'but' it was not allocated any funds this year even though the Teachers Training, Adult Education section was also allocated far fewer funds for this fiscal year.
Budget allocation for 2022-23: Nil Budget allocation for 2021-22: Rs 250 crores Budget allocation for 2020-21: Rs 50 crores
National Means cum Merit scholarship:
Budget allocation for 2022-23: Rs 350 crores
Budget allocation for 2021-22: Rs 350 crores
Budget allocation for 2020-21: Rs 373 crores
National Scheme for Incentive to Girls: This is a scholarship incentive scheme for girl children from Schedule Tribes and rural areas.
Budget allocation for 2022-23: Nil
Budget allocation for 2021-22: Rs 1 crore
Budget allocation for 2020-21: Rs 110 crores
Kendra Vidyalaya Sangathan: The education budget for KVS has increased this year.
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