The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has presented The Union Budget 2019. The experts from Indian academic and edu-tech communities have commented that the Union Budget 2019 definitely has the capability to revitalize the education sector. The measures that include a new National Education Policy, National Research Foundation and Study in India has been highlighted in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman’s Budget speech.
The proposals saw mixed responses from the education sector.
Ms Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School
The union budget has come up with policies that will enhance the welfare prospects of populations across the country. It is a growth-oriented budget that augurs well for the economy. The measures taken up by the government in its budget will help education in all respects and will go a long way in reforming the educational sector. The series of measures announced by the Finance Minister touches upon key changes in the sector ranging from setting up of new institutions to improving the research culture in the country.
Shweta Sastri, Managing Director, Canadian International School, Bengaluru
The decision to set up a National Research Foundation to fund and coordinate research in India is welcome. The plan of the Government to launch ‘Study in India’ programme is meant to make India an attractive education destination for international students. The allotment of 400-cr to develop world-class institutions is to be highly appreciated. This increased allocation of the fund will ensure better quality government schools that educate the majority of children in India. With the aim of the government to make India’s schools future-ready with a deeper focus on research and new age skills such as robotics, AI, IoT etc, not only integration of technology in classrooms is expected to get a considerable boost, but also education will become more accessible for all.
Srini Raghavan, Founder and CEO, EI
Two significant initiatives, National Education Policy and the Union Budget, coinciding this year is a huge opportunity for the education sector. As a research-driven EdTech company, we welcome the government’s proposal of setting up the National Research Foundation to improve the quality of research across all levels of private and public educational institutes. I believe it can be a game changer. However, there is a need for a higher focus on K 12 education. Unless we fix core issues in learning levels of school children – such as building foundational skills, tracking impact, board exam revamps, teacher training, etc. – initiatives at the higher education level will not yield desired results.
