More than a language debate: NEP needs to focus on funds, quality

Among the five states that allocate the highest proportion of their total expenditure to education, Bihar and Rajasthan stand out

Politicians have locked horns over the three-language formula in the New Education Policy, 2020 (NEP). However, one of the policy’s main objectives has been overlooked in this debate — raising education expenditure by the Centre and states to 6 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). 

 

This target requires doubling the current government spending on education in proportion to GDP. 

 

While the Centre's expenditure on education is stuck at 0.3-0.4 per cent of GDP, states and union territories have struggled to push their share beyond 2.5-2.6 per cent of GDP since 2019-20, a year before NEP 2020.

 

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