The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will provide 10,000 fellowships for tech research to be provided in IIT and IISCs in the next five years. She further added that the government will create additional infrastructure in five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and expand IIT Patna. According to the data provided by the Finance Minister, the total number of students in 23 IITs has increased by 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1. 35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded. The announcement to expand IIT Patna comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls due later this year.
National centres for skilling
The finance minister has also announced that the government will launch the 'Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak' scheme to provide digital forms of Indian language books for schools and higher education. Apart from this, the government will launch five national centres of excellence for skilling with global expertise and partnership.
"Five national centres for excellence for skilling with global expertise and partnerships will be set up and 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools in the next five years to cultivate scientific temper in young minds," she said.
Broadband connectivity in all education institutions
Sitharaman said broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres in rural areas. "I had announced three centres of excellence in AI for agriculture, sustainable cities, and health in 2023. Now, a Centre of Excellence in AI for education will be set with an outlay of Rs 500 crore," she said.
ALSO READ | Budget 2025: 75,000 medical seats will be added in next five years, announces Nirmala Sitharaman
ALSO READ | Budget 2025: Govt to launch focused scheme for footwear, leather sectors, 22 lakh jobs to be provided
ALSO READ | Budget 2025: IIT Patna to be expanded, additional infrastructure in other IITs, says Nirmala Sitharaman