Budget 2021-22: Education gets Rs 93,224 cr, Rs 8100 cr more than revised estimates

The Ministry of Education has been allocated Rs 93,224.31 crore in the 2021-22 Budget, an increase of more than Rs 8,100 crore from the revised estimates for the current fiscal.

The Ministry was originally allocated Rs 99,311.52 crore for the 2020-21 fiscal, which was eventually revised to Rs 85,089.07 crore as the coronavirus pandemic hit the country and classes were ordered shut to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to the union budget announced on Monday, the Department of School Education has received Rs 54,873.66 crore as against Rs 59,845 crore allocated in the last Budget, a drop of Rs 4971.34 crore.

The ministry’s school education scheme Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan saw its allocation reduced to Rs 31,050.16 crore from 38,750.50 crore in the current fiscal.

Funds for the National Scheme for Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education have been reduced to just Rs 1 crore from Rs 110 crore in the current fiscal. The funds for the Kendriya Vidyalayas, however, have been increased from Rs 5,516 crore to Rs 6,800 crore.

The budget allocation to Navodaya Vidyalayas has also been increased by Rs 500 crore. A sum of Rs 3,300 crore was allocated to Navodaya Vidyalayas this fiscal, which has been raised to Rs 3,800 crore for the upcoming fiscal.

The mid-day meal scheme saw an increase of Rs 500 crore as the total allocation has been raised to Rs 11,500 crore from Rs 11,000 in 2020-21.

However, the Department of Higher Education, which received Rs 39,466.52 crore last Budget, has been allocated Rs 38350.65 crore for 2021-22, registering a dip of Rs 1115.87 crore. The budget for the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has been reduced from Rs 2200 crore to Rs 1 crore.

The allocation for world class institutions has been increased from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,710 crore. Similarly, the fund for scholarships for college and university students has been increased from Rs 141 crore to Rs 207 crore.