Union Budget 2017: Reactions From Education Sector

The union budget for the year 2017-18 presented today marked a first in several areas. The budget was advanced by a month first time to avoid seeking a vote- on- account and to give more time for planning and spending. The rail budget and the general budget have been merged, and the finance minister has done away with the scheme of the plan and non-plan expenditure.

The larger goals of the budget and the Govt. remain to eradicate poverty and inequality. Rightly keeping the "youth" in focus Govt has shown intent to project education as an important agenda in the governance.

Considering that India is a booming economy amid the world's gloominess; that India will be the major hub of talent and world's workforce; the budget ought to have given a push to the education sector. India is also a signatory to sustainable development goals mandated by the United Nations in 2015. The SDG's, focus on eradication of poverty, providing inclusive and quality education and ensuring skill, competencies and decent employment and opportunity to all. Education underpins these objectives.

Without an explicit provision by doubling the existing fund allocation and managing fund utilisation more efficiently, we will miss the targets of SDGs to be achieved by 2030. The Finance Minister has expressed his desire to revamp Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Mid Day Meal Scheme, Strengthening of Teachers, Training Institute. But it has not followed any commitment on fresh funding.

India has consistently improved its enrollment of school education at primary level. However, at the higher level, it remains low at 23%. Therefore, there is a need for strengthening the secondary education, vocational training and skill development. Expansion, excellence and employability are the other two challenges. The govt. appears to be conscious of the equality issues and learning outcomes resulting into announcement, of introducing a system of measures of learning outcomes.

The proposal to set up innovation fund for secondary education is a welcome step. Focus on educationally backwards blocks and setting up of India International skills centres across the country are also positive steps. The budget proposals stipulate introduction of foreign languages. In the era of globalisation, global competencies need to be developed. Learning a foreign language at an early stage may be an important step with long-term benefits.

It was expected from the Finance Minister to allocate more commitment in the budget for creating centres of excellence, particularly in the areas of teacher training, research and development, and cutting age technology. This has unfortunately not happened. Though there is a mention about revamping the UGC and college accreditation.

In the last year's budget the finance minister talked about the nine pillars of the budget, 'education, skill and job creation' was one of them. In this year's budget, the Finance Minister has highlighted ten talking points and 'youth' being one of them. If we see the vision of last year in combination with finance minister's proposal this year the direction for youth and education appears to be less focused.

Looking from the standpoint of education sector it is not a dream budget and certainly not one aligned with the aspirations of the youth. The Finance Minister may well say, "I wish I could do more". That will be no solace to the 50% of India's population: young.