Budget 2017: Key takeaways for education sector

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget as per schedule on Feb 1

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget as per schedule on February 1.

Business  Standard presents some key takeaways for the education sector from the Union Budget 2017:
 

• Two new AIIMS institute in Jharkhand and Gujarat

• Take steps to increase post-graduate seats for medical sciences 

• Proposal to launch a system of measuring learning in schools. Emphasis on science education and flexible curriculum. 

• Focus will be the 3,479 educationally backward blocks where the government proposes to introduce the practise of measuring annual learning outcome in schools. 

• Certain colleges and institutions to be identified and granted an autonomous status based on accreditation.

• Use of DTH channels to link online courses available on the Swayam platform, that will offer 310 online courses, to enable student access high-quality education resource. 

• National Testing Agency to be instituted that will be in-charge of conducting all entrance exams for higher education. This would free the CBSS and AICTE from their current administrative responsibilities and focus on improving academic milieu.

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras to be extended to more than 600 districts across the country. 110  centres to be opened to help youth get access to employment opportunities abroad.

• Rs 2,200 cr to be set aside for investment in vocational training.

• Innovation Fund for secondary education to be created.