Union Budget 2025: Higher education budget witnesses over 7 pc rise

In one of the visionary moves, the Union government increased the higher education budget on Saturday by 7.74 per cent, marking a significant rise from Rs 46,482.35 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 50,077.95 crore in 2025-26.

UGC Chairman Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar told IANS that this increased budget will enable higher educational institutions to enhance further the quality of education, support research and innovation, and expand access to higher learning opportunities for all.

He added that the Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated Rs 16,146.11 crore to Central Universities, an increase from Rs 15,538.23 crore in the previous fiscal year.

The UGC further said that this additional funding will empower these institutions to enhance their infrastructure further, support research initiatives, and provide quality education to students nationwide.

“The budget for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes has also increased to Rs 1815 crore, which will strengthen the PM-USHA and RUSA, ultimately benefitting students,” said the UGC Chairman.

He added that the substantial increase in Student Financial Aid to Rs 2160 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26 is also commendable.

“This significant boost of over 68 per cent underscores the government's commitment to making higher education accessible to all, regardless of their financial background,” he said.

UGC Chairman added that the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak scheme is also a welcome initiative to ensure access to digital learning resources in Indian languages, promoting inclusivity and enriching the educational experience.

“A substantial increase in funding for the Indian Knowledge System, rising from Rs 10 crore to Rs 50 crore in the 2025-26 budget, will empower researchers and institutions to explore further, document, and disseminate India's invaluable intellectual contributions. This move will significantly boost UGC's efforts to prepare 22,000 textbooks for UG and PG studies in 22 Indian languages,” he said.

He added that establishing five National Centers of Excellence for Skilling, equipped with global expertise, is a significant step towards empowering our youth with industry-relevant skills and enhancing their employability.

“The creation of a Centre of Excellence for AI in education, with an outlay of Rs 500 crore, underscores the government's recognition of AI's transformative potential and its importance in shaping the future of learning,” he said.

Kumar added that expanding and adding new infrastructure for five IITs and creating 5,000 additional seats will boost access to quality higher education for all.

“The budget for digitising the storage system for the academic credits through the Academic Bank of Credits has also increased to Rs 16 crore,” he said.

Kumar pointed out that the PM Research Fellowship scheme, providing 10,000 scholarships over the next five years, will boost technological research in premier institutions like IITs and IISc, promoting a culture of innovation and research excellence.

“UGC is committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure these initiatives' effective implementation and realise the vision of the National Education Policy 2020,” he said.

Kumar added that UGC, being one of the leading implementation agencies of the NEP 2020, is confident that together, will build a future where education empowers innovation thrives.

“Our youth lead the way towards a brighter tomorrow. The budget reinforces the spirit of Viksit Bharat,” Kumar added.