recently announced union budget 2023 Rs 1.2 lakh crore has been allocated for the education sector by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Initiatives announced include PM Vikas, launch of 5G labs in institutions, focus on increasing literacy among tribal children, recruitment and training of teachers, etc. While education experts are happy for the most part, they are disappointed that GST has not been implemented. less for education.
“Education is extremely important at all levels and it is a welcome move by the government to implement Eklavya Modern Schools in the next three years which will give a boost to the education of tribal India. Having said that, GST on education is still an important concern which the Finance Minister did not discuss,” says AK Srikanth, CEO of KLY.
“It is a bit disappointing to see that GST for education has not been reduced. Edtech companies are on the rise today and hold a huge potential to help the government and industries. I wish there was more room for this in the budget,” said Bhavesh Goswami, Founder and CEO, CloudTat.
“The edtech industry was expecting support from the government in the form of schemes and incentives to improve online initiatives. We hope that the government will relook at GST on education, especially higher education and upskilling courses. The current GST on education services is 18 per cent, which is a luxury item. In the current industry dynamics, such education is not a luxury but a necessity and hence, we hope to consider the same,” says Ranjita Raman, CEO, Jarrow Education.
Thumbs up for teacher training, recruitment initiative
“The best feature of this budget is that teachers’ training will be revamped through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development dipstick survey and ICT implementation,” says Neelima Kamrah, Principal, KIIT. World School Gurgaon. The other feature, she says, is the creation of 100 labs to develop apps using 5G services.
“The Indian education system has always complained of non-availability of quality teachers. Shantanu Rooj, CEO & Founder, TeamLease Edtech, says, “The current momentum to create a sustainable teacher training program to recruit large numbers of teachers and equip them with multifaceted skills will go a long way in improving the quality of education in Indian schools. will pave the way.”
“Strengthening of Eklavya Model Residential Schools with enhanced budgetary support of Rs 2000 crore for the financial year 2022-2023 and planned recruitment of 38,800 teachers and support staff in the coming years is a welcome development that will enhance access to education and strengthen Will do grassroots level,” says Monica Malhotra Kandhari, MD, MBD Group.
some positive changes
“One of the primary focus of elementary education should also be on skill-based education which should be adopted by primary schools. Over the years, there has been an increase in the need for skill-based jobs India Hence the move by the government to implement Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 in the next three years is also a great step to bridge this gap,” says AK Srikanth, CEO of KLAY.
“It is good to see that the government has focused on introducing new courses in the education system to adopt new technologies like AI and 5G. The budget announcements focused on research and upskilling for the education sector. To realize the vision of ‘Make AI in India’ and ‘Make AI work for India’, three Centers of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence will be set up in top educational institutions. “It will give a boost to AI in education and research,” said Dr Ashwani Sharma, director of the Institute of Management, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur.
“With a major focus on employment generation (Amrit Kal) for the youth in India to promote entrepreneurship this year, the budget will include massive expansion of scholarships and fellowships through Centers of Excellence as well as teacher training and development also provides funding for and introduction of digital libraries,” says Dr. Shilpi Sahoo, Chairperson, SAI International Education Group.
“The launch of the National Digital Library for Children and Adolescents, provision for teacher training, on-the-job skills training, apprenticeships, and creation of 30 Skill India International Centers will help boost access to knowledge. The government’s recognition of the loss of learning following the pandemic is a welcome step. The emphasis on skill development with AR/VR applications will help prepare youth for the future of work and equip them with relevant soft skills,” says Dhuvarakha Sriram, Generation Unlimited (YUVAH) and Head of Youth Development and Partnerships at UNICEF Huh.
Higher education sector needs more attention
while union budget 2023 To meet the hopes and aspirations of the common man, the higher education sector needs to do a lot, says Dr. Kulneet Suri, (Senior Director, IMS Noida and Harvard University (HKS) alumnus). higher education sector in terms of generating support for research and development, applied and peripheral curricular reforms, better access to education for weaker sections, additional support for research and development and encouraging private sector participation.”
“It is a matter of disappointment that no specific announcement was made for the higher education sector. Research in higher education sector needs government support which in turn can act as a catalyst for India’s growth. We hope that the government will also open channels to work collaboratively with private institutions to create global managers,” said Vaidyanathan V, CFO, Great Lakes Institute of Management
“The fact that education as a sector is not directly part of the main areas that the government (Saptarshis) is focusing on is very worrying. Often, budgets are an important signaling tool about the government’s priorities. Unfortunately, using that criteria makes one feel that the emphasis required for education is completely missing,” says Manek Daruwalla, Founder and Director, TIME
“Lack of focus on education is also seen through lack of action on increasing allocation for education as recommended by the National Education Policy 2020. budget,” he said.
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