Budget 2025: Experts react after announcement for AI push, infra expansion at 5 new IITs, 10,000 extra medical seats

The education experts termed the decision on infrastructure expansion at the five new IITs to facilitate 6500 more students 10000 new medical seats and a big Artificial Intelligence AI push as a forwardthinking visionThe Budget 2025 was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on SaturdayThe Ministry of Education has been allocated more than Rs 128 lakh crore in the Union Budget 202526 higher than the revised estimate of Rs 114 lakh crore in 202425 While the Higher Education department has been allocated an amount of Rs 50067 crore the school education department has received Rs 78572Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who presented her eighth straight Union Budget also said the government will launch Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak scheme to provide digital form of Indian language books for schools and higher educationUnion Budget 202526 presents a forwardthinking vision for higher education said UGC Chief M Jagadeesh KumarSitharaman announced the government will create additional infrastructure at five Indian Institutes of Technology IITs and expand IIT Patna The announcement to expand IIT Patna comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls due later this yearProf V N Rajasekharan Pillai Vice Chancellor Somaiya Vidyavihar University ldquoI am glad that the Union Budget 2025 introduces several initiatives to enhance our countryrsquos human capital focusing on skilling entrepreneurship AI in higher education and advanced science and technology research The intent explicitly stated in the budget speech ldquoEducation must take centre stagerdquo is really laudable The PM Research Fellowship Scheme of providing ten thousand fellowships to full time research scholars in IITs and IISc is definitely a move to boost the science and technology innovation in the country The allocation to institute five national centres of skilling with global expertise aiming to equip the youth with the skills necessary for ldquoMake for India Make for the Worldrdquo manufacturing is also bold step forward The proposed outlay of Rs 500 Crores for setting up a Centre for Excellence in AI in Education would strengthen education with cutting edge technologies However the quantum of allocation for this very meagre compared to the global investments in this area in countries like China and the US To address the growing healthcare needs the budget has allocated provision for additional 10000 medical seats in medical colleges which will contribute to a much more equipped healthcare workforce in the country Putting up 50000 more Atal Tinkering Labs ATLs in government schools would be helpful to the muchrequired nurturing of curiosity and in fostering innovation among school children The additional provision for the Bharat Net broadband connectivity in schools including secondary and primary schools will enhance access to digital resources for education The budgetary support for the Bharatiya Bhaasha Pustak Scheme for providing digital versions of Indian Language books will make education more accessible comprehensible Addition of 6500 more seats for the IITs established after 2013 is also significant step forward for promoting technology education Overall the emphasis given to higher education skill development entrepreneurship professional education and digital innovations in Indian Language Promotion in schools is really laudablerdquoSitharaman announced that 10000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals next year towards the goal of adding 75000 seats over the next five yearsThe total number of students in 23 IITs has increased by 100 per cent from 65000 to 135 lakh in the past 10 years Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6500 more students Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded she saidThe IITs have been allocated an amount of Rs 11349 crore in the union budget up from a revised estimate of Rs 10467 crore in current financial yearThe government has added almost 11 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical education seats in 10 years an increase of 130 per cent In the next year 10000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals towards the goal of adding 75000 seats in the next five years Sitharaman saidThe FM also announced 10000 fellowships will be provided for technology research in IITs and IISc over the next five yearsFive national centres for excellence for skilling with global expertise and partnerships will be set up and 50000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools in the next five years to cultivate scientific temper in young minds she saidSitharaman said that the broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres in rural areasKavita Kerawalla Vice Chairperson of VIBGYOR Group of Schools said We welcome the Union Budget 2025ndash2026rsquos forwardthinking initiatives in education The establishment of Centres of Excellence for education with a substantial budget allocation along with the focus on ATAL Tinkering Labs marks a transformative step towards integrating newage technology and fostering a spirit of curiosity and innovation within our educational framework This initiative will not only promote research and development but also serve as a hub for skilling and upskilling students in cuttingedge technologies With these new budget allocations we are excited about the opportunities to enhance learning experiences and prepare our students to thrive in an increasingly digital world Furthermore these initiatives align with Indiarsquos broader vision of becoming a global knowledge hub reinforcing our collective goal of shaping futureready leaders