Aiming to mould future generations, the Central Government has allotted Rs 1,12,899 crore to the education sector in the 2023 Union budget with attractive announcements for education and career for the youth in the country.
The teachers and students can rejoice over many elements in the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman. As many as 38,000 teachers would be appointed over the next three years. Besides, the staff to assist them would also be appointed. The appointments would be made in the Ekalavya model residential schools which intend to bring more than 3.5 lakh tribal people to the mainstream.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 programme would be implemented to create job opportunities thereby helping the youth achieve their dream projects. The programme is aimed at the skill development of the youth.
Beyond getting an education, this budget focuses on the long-term goal of creating a young generation skilled to take up any work. This project would be completed in three years. Thirty Skill India International Centres would be set up in various States for the skill development of the youth.
The programme also plans to make available various books to help with non-academic activities through the National Child Trust and Children’s Book Trust. Another announcement is to establish digital libraries in association with the voluntary organisations involved in literacy-related activities. By making the books available digitally in English and all other regional languages, we can ensure equal opportunities for students from all States.
Laboratories encouraging research would be set up in public and private medical colleges with the cooperation of the Indian Council of Medical Research. Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence research and activities would be established in 3 higher education centres in the country. These centres are to make excellent contributions towards Health, Agriculture and Sustainable Urban Development.
Another attractive announcement in the budget is the establishment of 157 new nursing colleges. An agriculture accelerator fund would be constituted in the rural regions to draw youth into agriculture. The youth’s talents can be used through start-ups. National digital library announcement gives joy to the children and the youth in the country. Through this library, knowledge in all languages from all regions will be accessible to the children online. It has been decided to allot funds liberally for establishing new libraries at panchayat and ward levels.
Programmes to ensure continuing education for the teachers have also been mentioned in the budget. It is aimed at making the teachers efficient in line with the changing learning methods and the latest syllabus. The centres in the district headquarters would be upgraded to centres of excellence.
The Union Minister’s announcements are such that the youth in the nation gets job opportunities along with the country’s development. The Union Government is also to reconstruct the higher education sector through digitization. Technical education institutes are also to get aid on a large scale.