On 10th February 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with students at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, during the first episode of the 8th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC). In this informal yet insightful session, the Prime Minister engaged with students from across the country, discussing a variety of topics. The 36 students present learned from the Prime Minister valuable lessons on Nutrition and Wellness; Mastering Pressure; Challenging Oneself; The Art of Leadership; Beyond Books – 360º Growth; Finding Positives and more. This interactive session provided students with valuable insights and practical strategies to navigate academic challenges with confidence and a growth mind set.
Today, renowned actor and mental health champion Deepika Padukone participated in the second episode of the 8th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha. Around 60 students attended the interactive session.
Deepika shared how addressing mental health challenges can be empowering and spoke about the valuable lessons she learned from her own struggles. Sharing her stress management strategies, she emphasized the importance of getting enough sleep, spending time outdoors in natural sunlight and fresh air, and maintaining a healthy daily routine to effectively reduce stress. She further emphasized that self-confidence and a positive mind set are key to success. Encouraging students to see failures as learning opportunities, she inspired them to keep moving forward with determination.
Reiterating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s message—”Express, Never Suppress”—Deepika stressed the importance of seeking help when needed. She engaged with students in an interactive activity, where they wrote down their strengths and pinned them on a board on the stage, reinforcing the significance of self-awareness and recognizing one’s strengths. She conducted a live grounding session through an activity called 54321, demonstrating a technique to improve concentration during exams.
Students physically present at the program posed their queries, and Deepika responded by drawing from her personal experiences, offering valuable insights and practical advice. Additionally, a student from an international CBSE school also had the opportunity to ask a question, further enriching the discussion with a wider perspective.
The 8th edition of PPC had set a new benchmark. With over 5 crore participation, this year’s program exemplifies its status as a Jan Andolan, inspiring collective celebration of learning. For the episode with the Prime Minister, 36 students from all State and UT were selected from State/UT Board Government schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik School, Eklavya Model Residential School, CBSE and Navodaya Vidyalaya. Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 will feature additional six insightful episodes, bringing together renowned personalities from diverse fields to guide students on essential aspects of life and learning. Each episode will address key themes:
Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan lauded the Budget 2025-26, emphasizing it as a budget that takes everyone together and prioritizes welfare, well-being, and empowerment of all citizens while firmly placing India on the path to achieving the goal of developed India by 2047. The Minister expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for a visionary and futuristic Budget.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that this Budget is aiming to cater to the comprehensive requirements, right from childhood to youth, who would be leading from the front in realizing the Viksit Bharat agenda in 2047 and beyond.
He further stated that the Budget announcements encompass today’s entire youth demographic, who will lead the nation for the next 25 years. This will strengthen the Bhartiya Gyan Parampara within our education system and foster a global community, he added.
The Minister highlighted that the Budget 2025-26 emphasizes investing in people and facilitating all-round development of India’s human capital. He noted that with “Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata, and Naari” as the pillars, this budget would uplift sentiments of the poor and middle class, accelerate spending, catalyze investments, and spur growth. He emphasized that it would remove regional imbalances, build rural prosperity, nurture research, innovation and entrepreneurship, invigorate the education and skilling landscape, and lead to employment-led development.
The Minister expressed gratitude for continuing with bigger and bolder investments in education, skilling, research, and innovation, stating that this budget represents another big leap towards empowering India’s population with more opportunities for world-class education and building capacities of human capital.
The Minister informed that the total budget allocation for the Ministry of Education has reached ₹128,650 crore, marking a 6.22% increase over BE 2024-25.
Union Education Minister informed that Fifty thousand Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) will be set up in Government schools in next 5 years to cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation, and foster a scientific temper among young minds. With this, students of all Government secondary schools will have access to ATL. The Union Budget also proposes to provide Broadband connectivity to all Government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the BharatNet project, he added.
Shri Pradhan informed that the total number of students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the 5 IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT, Patna will also be expanded, he further added.
Shri Pradhan said that with the aim to help students understand their subjects better, it is proposed to implement a Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme to provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education.
The Union Minister also informed that five National Centres of Excellence for skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip youth with the skills required for “Make for India, Make for the World” manufacturing. The partnerships will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews.
Shri Pradhan highlighted that the fourth AI Centre of Excellence in Education, envisioned in the Budget 2025-26, aims to revolutionize India’s educational system from pre-primary to professional and research levels. By harnessing artificial intelligence, it seeks to address disparities and inefficiencies, ensuring equitable and high-quality education across the nation. This Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education will be established with a total outlay of ₹500 crore, he added
The Minister informed the allocation of Rs 20,000 crore to implement private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation. In the next five years, under the PM Research Fellowship scheme, provision of ten thousand fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc with enhanced financial support is also proposed in the Budget, he added.
The Minister informed that a Gyan Bharatam Mission for survey, documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors will be undertaken to cover more than 1 crore manuscripts. A National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing will also be set up.
D/o School Education & Literacy
The Budget Allocation for the FY 2025-26 of ₹ 78572 Cr is the highest ever for the Department of School Education & Literacy.
There has been an overall increase of ₹ 5074 Cr (7%) in the Budget Allocation of Department of School Education and Literacy in the FY 2025-26 from BE 2024-25. As compared to RE of FY 2024-25, there has been an increase of ₹ 11,000 Cr (16.28 %).
The highest ever Budget Allocation may be seen in the Autonomous Body of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) at Rs. 9,503 Cr. Allocation in KVS has increased by ₹ 201.17 Cr as compared to Budget allocation of FY 2024-25. There has been an increase of ₹ 776 Cr (9%) as compared to RE of FY 2024-25.
Budget Allocation of FY 2025-26 in Flagship Schemes have increased i.e Samagra Shiksha (by ₹ 3750 Cr), PM-POSHAN (by ₹ 32 Cr) and PM-SHRI (by ₹ 1450 Cr) with respect to Budget Allocation (BE) of FY 2024-25. As compared to RE 2024-25, allocation in Samagra Shiksha has increased by ₹ 4240 Cr (11%), allocation in PM-POSHAN has increased by ₹ 2500 Cr (25 %) and allocation in PM-SHRI has increased by ₹ 3000 Cr (66%).
Out of the overall Budget Allocation in FY 2025-26 of ₹ 78,572 Cr, the Scheme allocation is ₹ 63,089 Cr and Non-Scheme Allocation is ₹ 15,483 Cr.
Increase in Scheme Allocation in BE 2025-26 is ₹ 5284 Cr (9.14 %) as compared to BE 2024-25. As compared to RE 24-25, increase in Scheme Allocation is ₹ 10248 Cr (19%) and non-Scheme allocation has increased by ₹ 752 Cr (5%) in BE 2025-26.
Fifty thousand (50,000) Atal Tinkering Labs (ALT) will be set up in Government schools in next five years to cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation, and foster a scientific temper among young minds.
Broadband connectivity will be provided to all Government secondary schools under BharatNet project in the next three years.
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
The overall Budget Allocation in FY 2025-26 is Rs. 50077.95 Cr out of which Scheme allocation is Rs. 6990.88 Cr and Non- Scheme allocation is Rs. 43087.07 cr.
There has been an overall increase of Rs. 2458.18 Cr (5.16%) in the Budget Allocation of Department of Higher Education in the FY 2025-26 with respect to FY 2024-25.
Allocations to Major Autonomous Bodies under Higher Education
The total Allocation of Autonomous Bodies in 2025-26 increased to Rs. 42732 Cr from Rs. 39777.40 in 2024-25. There is increase of 7.42%
Allocation in Central Universities has been kept at Rs. 16691.31 Cr, against Rs. 15928 Cr in 2024-25 which is Rs 763.31 Cr more i.e. 4.79 % increase.
UGC has been allocated Rs.3335.97 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs. 2500 Cr in 2024-25 which is Rs. 835.97 Cr more i.e. 33.44 % increase.
IITs have been allocated Rs. 11349.00 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs. 10324.50 Cr in 2024-25 which is Rs. 1024.50 Cr more i.e. 9.92% increase.
For NITs, Rs.5687.47 Cr has been allocated in FY 2025-26, against Rs.5040 Cr in 2024-25 increasing the allocation by Rs. 647.47 Cr i.e. 12.85% increase.
Deemed Universities have been allocated Rs.604 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs.596 Cr in 2024-25 increasing the allocation by Rs. 8 Cr i.e. 1.34% increase.
IIMs have been allocated Rs.251.89 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs. 212.21 Cr in 2024-25 increasing the allocation by Rs. 39.68 Cr i.e. 18.70% increase.
IIITs have been allocated Rs.407.00 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs.315.91 Cr in 2024-25 increasing the allocation by Rs. 91.09 Cr i.e 28.83 % increase.
Grants for Promotion of Indian Languages have been allocated Rs.347.03 Cr in 2025-26, against Rs.310.10 Cr in 2024-25 increasing the allocation by Rs. 36.93 Cr i.e. 11.91% increase.
Education is not only the foundation upon which our civilization has been built, but it is also the architect of humanity’s future.”
~Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Education has always been a key priority for the government and with the vision to make India a global education hub, the Union Budget 2025-26 introduces innovative initiatives. Focused on expanding medical seats, enhancing skilling infrastructure and growing IITs, these measures aim to provide more opportunities and equip youth with essential skills for the future.
Announcements for a Smarter, Inclusive India
Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme: To provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education. This aims to help students understand their subjects better.
National Centres of Excellence for Skilling: Building on the July 2024 Budget, five National Centres of Excellence for skilling will be established with global partnerships to equip youth with skills. These centres will focus on curriculum design, trainer training, skills certification, and regular reviews.
Expansion of Capacity in IITs: Additional infrastructure will be created in the 5 IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT, Patna will also be expanded. Total number of students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years.
Centre of Excellence in AI for Education: A Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of 500 crore.
Expansion of Medical Education: The government had added almost 1.1 lakh UG and PG medical education seats in ten years, an increase of 130 per cent. In the next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals, towards the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next 5 years.
Inside India’s Education System
The Indian education system has undergone significant transformation over the years. Serving 24.8 crore students across 14.72 lakh schools, it is supported by a dedicated workforce of 98 lakh teachers, as reported by the UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus 2023-24). Government schools form the backbone of the system, comprising 69% of the total, enrolling 50% of students and employing 51% of teachers. On the other hand, private schools make up 22.5% of institutions, catering to 32.6% of students and employing 38% of teachers. This growing structure reflects the dynamic changes in the Indian education landscape, paving the way for continuous improvements in enrollment and access over the years.
Enrollment Trends in India
The NEP 2020 aims for a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2030. The GER is near universal at the primary (93 %) and the efforts are underway to bridge the gaps at the secondary (77.4 %) and higher secondary level (56.2 %), driving the nation closer to its vision of inclusive and equitable education for all. In the realm of higher education, India has seen a dramatic rise in student enrollment. The total number of students enrolled in higher education reached 4.33 crore in 2021-22, a 26.5% increase from 3.42 crore in 2014-15. The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for the 18-23 age group also rose from 23.7% to 28.4% in the same period.
Women’s participation in higher education has also witnessed significant growth, with female enrollment rising from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.07 crore in 2021-22, marking a 32% increase. This progress is especially evident in fields like Medical Science, Social Science, and Arts, where women are now leading the charge in enrollment.
Decline in Dropout Rate
However, challenges still persist and the dropout rate remains a critical concern. While there has been a steady decline in dropout rates. School dropout rates have steadily declined in recent years, standing at 1.9 per cent for primary, 5.2 per cent for upper primary and 14.1 per cent for secondary levels. According to AISHE report the dropout rate at the secondary level has also decreased significantly from 21% in 2013-14 to 13% in 2021-22.
Transforming India’s Education Landscape
Over the years, India has seen a remarkable transformation in its higher education ecosystem. The number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has grown significantly, increasing by 13.8% from 51,534 in 2014-15 to 58,643 in 2022-23. This expansion reflects the country’s commitment to making higher education more accessible and diverse.
Growth in Medical Education and Workforce: Medical Colleges grew from 499 in FY19 to 780 in FY25.
Candidates aspiring to study MBBS increased from 16 lakh in 2019 to 24 lakh in 2024.
MBBS Seats increased from 70,012 in FY19 to 1,18,137 in FY25.
Postgraduate Medical Seats grew from 39,583 in FY19 to 73,157 in FY25.
Doctors Available: 13.86 lakh registered practitioners as of July 2024, with a current ratio of 1:1263 per person. The WHO norm of 1:1000 could be met by 2030 with an annual increase of 50,000 doctors.
Growth of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs): The number of IITs increased from 16 in 2014 to 23 in 2023.
Growth of Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs):The number of IIMs grew from 13 in 2014 to 20 in 2023.
Expansion of Universities:The number of Universities grew from 723 in 2014 to 1,213 in 2024, marking a 59.6% increase.
Increase in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Total HEIs increased by 13.8%, from 51,534 in 2014-15 to 58,643 in 2022-23.
Progress in Basic Facilities
Education infrastructure has significantly improved, with a rise in the number of higher education institutions. Key areas like medical check-ups, sanitation, and ICT availability have also seen substantial upgrades, highlighting positive progress in school facilities to enhance the quality of education. From 2019-20 to 2023-24, there have been notable improvements in school infrastructure. The percentage of schools with girls’ toilets increased slightly from 96.9% to 97.2%, while access to libraries/reading rooms rose from 84.1% to 89%. The availability of electricity improved from 83.4% to 91.8%, and computers in schools increased from 38.5% to 57.2%. Additionally, internet access grew significantly from 22.3% to 53.9%, marking a positive shift toward better-equipped schools.
Conclusion
The education sector in India is being strengthened through various government initiatives aligned with NEP 2020. Programs like Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) and PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) are driving improvements in infrastructure, teacher training and learning outcomes. The Economic Survey highlights the progress and the government’s commitment to making education more inclusive and accessible.
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