Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam announced over 15,000 schools to be qualitatively strengthened under National Education Policy (NEP). Presenting her third Union Budget 2021 post-COVID-19 pandemic, added, "100 new Sainik schools will be set up in partnership with NGOs, private schools, and states. We would be introducing the legislation this year to implement the setting-up of the Higher Education Commission of India."

Nirmala Sithraman in Budget 2021 further announced that under NEP 2020 Centre will set up higher education in Ladakh and will set up a central university in Leh. 

"The Budget proposals for 2021-12 rest on six pillars: health & well-being, physical & financial capital & infrastructure, inclusive development for aspirational India, reinvigorating human capital, innovation & R&D, Minimum Govt & Maximum Governance," Sitharaman said before presenting the first set of Union Budget 2021. 

The year 2020 has been one of the catastrophic years in terms of education, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the schools and colleges to shut down and ought to online learning methods.

Last year, the government allocated Rs 99,300 crore for the education sector. They introduced a New Education Policy (NEP) which aims at universalisation of education from pre-school to secondary level. In this policy, the government announced that students will not be forced to study any particular language.

Also, the '10+2' structure will be replaced with '5+3+3+4' model. It proposes a 4-year multi-disciplinary bachelor's degree in an undergraduate programme with multiple exit options. These will include professional and vocational areas.

Not just this, in NEP 2020 government changed the policies for the upcoming teachers and teacher education. To become a teacher one requires a minimum of 4-year Bachelor of Education by 2030. Also, the teacher recruitment process will be made transparent.

Source: Jagran English