The Covid19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on education and as there has also been a paradigm shift in the mode of learning as well as the teaching method. Along with Coronavirus, the unveiling of National Education Policy 2020 by the Narendra Modi government has brought back discussions over the reforms in the education sector. With just few weeks to go for the Budget 2021, here is what the industry experts expect from the Education sector in India for Budget 2021.
Dr Jitin Chadha, Founder & Director, Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF)
"The Union Budget for 2021-2022 is a much-awaited one as it will be the first since the New Education Policy was introduced last year. One naturally expects. a substantial increase in the allocation to education, and I hope the allocation goes up for higher education in particular, in order to cater to India's ever-growing need for quality human capital, especially if it is to become 'Atmanirbhar'. To this end, while spending to set up high-quality institutions for the long term, I hope earnestly that the Budget makes long-due allocations for internationalizing Indian higher education because that is our best short-run bet for improving the quality of the workforce and bringing it to global standards for the post-pandemic world.”
Rohit Manglik, CEO, EduGorilla
"Education provides the foundation for the economic development of the nation and the empowerment of its citizens. The year 2020 witnessed the formulation of the landmark National Education Policy 2020 that proposes futuristic measures to revamp the Indian educational system. The increased allocation for education in the upcoming Union Budget will be a great beginning to realize its benefits. Emphasis should also be on teacher training, skill development and improving learning outcomes to cater to the dynamic industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has also underscored the significance of e-learning in widening the accessibility to education. Rationalizing GST in e-learning will make it more affordable for consumers and fuel the democratization of the segment.”
Aakash Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL)
“National Education Policy (NEP 2020) has already set the pace for enormous skill development for the youth. We are expecting that Government will increase the education expenditure in the current education budget. With more focus on the implementation of the new policy, quality and tax-free education and skill development, the reforms will pave ways for more blue-collar jobs. Classroom education has undergone complete change due to emergence of Covid, we expect that Government will put more focus on usage of digital education in Tier 2,3 cities and envisage avenues to make India as one of the preferred higher education destinations in the world.”
Sunita Gandhi, Founder, Global Classroom Private Limited (GCPL) and Global Education & Training Institute (GETI)
"The previous year proved to be gamechanger for the education industry by drastically replacing traditional classrooms with online teaching methods. This along with the introduction of National Education Policy 2020 made a strong foundation for the following year. We expect the 2021 Union Budget to be open to creating an Edtech ecosystem with greater access to internet and robust data protection. By allowing innovation in the sector and improving the basic digital infrastructure of the country, the government can ensure that our education system is immune to any pandemic in the future. The global COVID-crisis was a wake-up call for all of us to and now that we have it, we believe this year’s budget will focus more on making education accessible, affordable, and scalable. Our education system needs a perfect combination of digitization and traditional classroom learning; the budget must elevate startups in the EdTech sector which reciprocate the same beliefs."
