Over 15K schools to be strengthened as per new NEP
New Delhi: Setting up a central university in Leh, 100 new Sainik schools and Higher Education Commission of India, increasing collaboration with foreign institutions as well as strengthening over 15,000 schools as per new NEP, are among the major announcements from the education sector in the Budget for 2021-22 announced on Monday.
The Ministry of Education has received a total of 93,224.31 crore this year. In 2020-21, it was allocated Rs 99,311.52 crore.
"For accessible higher education in Ladakh, I propose to set up a Central University in Leh," Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech.
She said, "More than 15,000 schools will be qualitatively strengthened to include all components of the National Education Policy. They shall emerge as exemplar schools in their regions, handholding and mentoring other schools to achieve the ideals of the Policy. 100 new Sainik Schools will be set up in partnership with NGOs, private schools and states.
"In Budget 2019-20, I had mentioned about the setting-up of Higher Education Commission of India. We would be introducing legislation this year to implement the same. It will be an umbrella body having 4 separate vehicles for standard-setting, accreditation, regulation, and funding."
In the Budget, the blanket exemption in annual receipts for charitable trusts running educational institutions, has been increased from Rs 1 crore to 5 crore. "We hope to reduce compliance burden on small charitable trusts running educational institutions and hospitals. So far, there is a blanket exemption to such entities, whose annual receipt does not exceed Rs 1 crore. I now propose to increase this amount to Rs 5 crore.
"Many of our cities have various research institutions, universities and colleges supported by the Government of India. Hyderabad for example, has about 40 such major institutions. In nine such cities, we will create formal umbrella structures so that these institutions can have better synergy, while also retaining their internal autonomy. A Glue Grant will be set aside for this purpose," Sitharaman said.
