While presenting the Union Budget 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Rs. 93,224.31 crore has been allocated for education this year — Rs 6,088 crore less than in 2020 (Rs 99,311 crore).

While announcing the budgetary allocation for education, she highlighted the implementation plan of the National Education Policy, the establishment of a central university in Leh, the need to focus on digital infrastructure, development of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST), CBSE Board exam reforms, Mission Poshan 2.0 and many more. (Read: Budget 2021: Education allocation slashed by Rs. 6088 cr)

Meanwhile, the Right to Education Forum has slammed the budget stating that it failed to allocate the required amount to undo the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has failed to provide allocation of 6 percent of GDP on education, as promised in the National Education Policy 2020. 

Ambarish Rai, national convenor of the RTE Forum has expressed his disappointment saying that instead of increasing allocations to strengthen an Inclusive Public Education System, the government is paving the way for privatisation and PPP model in education. This neglect will adversely impact children, particularly those from poor, marginalised communities and also girls, adding to the already increasing number of out of school children in India. The commitment to universalize secondary education (SDG Goal 4) by 2030 will also remain a distant dream.

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