The Indian government has come forward with comprehensive plan to revolutionize education and innovation in the country as part of it’s Union budget 2025-26. The plans announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, aims to promote scientific temper, foster a culture of innovation entrepreneurship, and skill development among young Indians.
A key proposal of the budget is the establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools across the country for over next five years. These labs will provide students with hands on experience in innovation, experiment, design and problem solving, enabling young minds to develop crucial skills for 21st century.
In another significant move the government came up with the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak scheme, which will provide digital Indian language books for school and higher education. Goal of this initiative is to make educational resources accessible to curious minds, regardless of their geographical location or socio-economic background.
The government also proposed the establishment of five National Centres of Excellence for skilling,which will be set up in partnership with global experts and organisations. These centers will provide world-class training and certification programs for young Indians, equipping them with skills required to compete in the global market.
The government has announced plan to set up a centre of excellence in artificial intelligence for education, with a total of RS. 500 cr budget alloted to it. The center goals to develop AI-based solutions for education to improve learning outcomes and making education more effective.
Rs.20,000 crore has been alloted for implementing private sector-driven research, devlopment, and innovation initiatives.
The funds will support start-ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses in devloping products and solutions and will help to create a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in india.
In addition to above proposal the government has promised to provide 10,000 fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc under the PM Reasearch fellowship scheme. The initiative aims to foster research and innovation in cutting-edge technologies and provide opportunities for young researchers to work on projects of national importance.
This move is expected to significantly enhance India’s higher education system, empowering young minds to achieve excellence and drive innovation and establish india as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
