Budget Quotes 2025 by Experts in Educational Sector

Budget Quotes 2025 by Experts in Educational Sector

Kunal Vasudeva, Co-founder & Managing Director, Indian School of Hospitality

 The Union Budget 2025-26 sets the right direction with AI-driven education, research fellowships, deep-tech funding, and global skilling partnerships. These are crucial steps toward positioning education as an economic powerhouse.
However, policy is always a work in progress—the real test is execution. If India is to leapfrog in education the way it did in digitization, we need a 10X mindset in implementation, institutional accountability, and adaptability.
The focus must now shift to outcome-driven reforms—aligning research with national priorities, empowering universities to lead innovation, and embedding competency-building over mere skilling.
This decade will define India’s global standing. Bold policy must now meet bold execution.

 Nipun Goenka, Managing Director, GD Goenka Group

The Union Budget’s focus on education, skill development, and research underscores a commitment to nurturing lifelong learners who can thrive in an evolving world. The establishment of National Centres of Excellence for Skilling, the expansion of IITs, and the Centre of Excellence for AI in Education reflect an investment in future-ready competencies that will shape India’s global standing as a knowledge hub. The addition of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs and broadband connectivity in government schools is a step toward democratizing access to innovation, ensuring every child—regardless of background—has the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s growth. The expansion of medical education and the National Institute of Food Technology in Bihar will not only drive economic growth but also reinforce a culture of social responsibility.
Beyond academics, initiatives like the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 reflect a much-needed focus on holistic development, ensuring that children, mothers, and adolescents receive the nutrition and support essential for learning and growth. The Bhasha Pustak Scheme, with its emphasis on digital access to Indian language books, strengthens inclusive learning, allowing students to engage deeply with knowledge in their native languages.

At GD Goenka, we remain committed to complementing these national efforts by empowering a generation that is not just prepared for the future but capable of shaping it.

Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman, Seth Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions

The Union Budget 2025-26 by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman takes a very holistic approach towards education with a focus on innovation, research, technology, skill development, accessibility, and capacity building. The reforms are intended at the grassroots level with announcements of fifty thousand new Atal Tinkering Labs and better broadband connectivity for government schools. I commend the decision to set the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence. It shall help India catch up in the global AI race. Likewise, the fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc will pave the way for innovations and build a culture of research. The budget takes a balanced approach to both school and higher education. It also aims to bring in global expertise for skilling the youth of India through the five National Centres of Excellence in skilling. With an outlay of Rs. 1,28,650 crores for education, this budget promises reforms and initiatives not just in line with NEP 2020 but also directed towards catalyzing education to drive India’s progress towards Viksit Bharat.

Anushika Jain; Founder and CEO of Global Shala and Globally Recruit

 The Union Budget 2025 marks the dawn of a new era in India’s education landscape by prioritizing skilling, digital education, and global learning opportunities. The establishment of the National Centres of Excellence for Skilling and the promotion of global skilling partnerships will empower the youth with skills pertinent to industry requirements, thereby enhancing their employability on an international scale.

Moreover, the creation of a Centre of Excellence for AI in Education represents a significant leap forward in integrating artificial intelligence into educational frameworks. These initiatives align with the growing demand for a globally competitive workforce and further solidify India’s position as a global talent hub.
These efforts resonate with the insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which emphasizes the importance of technological skills, including AI and big data, as well as the need for resilience, flexibility, and agility in the workforce. By focusing on these areas, India is not only addressing current educational needs but also preparing its youth for the evolving global job market.

Tr Chaitanya Dev Singh, National President, Round Table India (RTI)

The Union Budget 2025 lays significant emphasis on the education and well-being of students. The commitment to advancing science and technology through initiatives like 50,000 Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) and broadband connectivity for government schools is a welcome move. Furthermore, providing digital access to vernacular literature will significantly enhance educational quality.

The expansion of admission capacities in institutions such as IITs and medical colleges will alleviate the pressure on numerous students aiming to secure admissions in the top institutions of the country.

Additionally, the emphasis on skill development will particularly benefit marginalized communities, enabling them to secure livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty.

Kanak Gupta, Group Director, MR Jaipuria Group

The Budget 2025 takes a decisive step in ensuring that the future of India is knowledge-led and technology-enabled. With 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, broadband connectivity in government schools, and a ₹500 crore Centre of Excellence for AI in Education, it paves the way for India to emerge as the technological hub of the world.

Moreover, the focus on skilling and providing digital Indian language books for schools and higher education reflects a commitment to inclusivity, recognising the diverse linguistic landscape of our country. By making quality education accessible in various Indian languages, the government is ensuring that students from different backgrounds can have uniform learning experiences.

 Tannay Jit Singh, Founder Kladio

India’s commitment to educational and technological advancement takes centre stage with ambitious initiatives spanning multiple sectors. The establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Laboratories in government schools signals a transformative push to nurture innovation at the grassroots level. The vision extends to higher education, with expanded infrastructure in newer IITs accommodating 6,500 additional students, while a ₹500 crore investment in an AI Education Centre of Excellence demonstrates our focus on future technologies.

Healthcare education receives significant attention through 10,000 new medical college seats and 200 cancer centres. The government’s dedication to research and innovation is further emphasized by the proposed DeepTech Fund of Funds and 10,000 PM Research Fellowships at premier institutions.

These comprehensive measures, combined with practical steps like TCS removal on education loans up to ₹10 lakh, form a robust framework for India’s educational and technological evolution.

Preethi Rajeev Nair, Principal – CBSE, Lancers Army School

 The Union Budget 2025 reflects a strong commitment to advancing education and skilling in India. Establishing 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs and the enablement of broadband connectivity in government schools will be a game-changer in fostering innovation and digital learning.

Additionally, the expansion of IIT infrastructure and the Centre of Excellence for AI in Education will empower students for future technological advancements and thrive in the digital age. We welcome these initiatives, as they align with our mission to provide holistic and future-ready education to young minds.

 Prof. Indranil Manna Vice Chancellor, BIT Mesra, Ranchi

The much-awaited Union Budget 2025 delivers a promising roadmap for India’s education sector. The establishment of a Centre of Excellence for AI in Education with an outlay of ₹500 crore will drive innovation and cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
In addition, the expansion of infrastructure in IITs, allowing for 6,500 additional seats will further strengthen India’s technical education ecosystem. We are also encouraged by the focus on skilling through five National Centres of Excellence and the Deeptech Fund of Funds, which will facilitate and empower our youth to lead in global technological advancements.

Currently, research and development labs in India are heavily dependent on funding from ANRF, a recent government’s initiative to create an ecosystem for the sector. However, additional focus on private educational institutions in the current Budget would have given a booster dose to the sector since a higher number of students enrol in private institutes, than government ones.
These measures, coupled with the emphasis on digital education and research fellowships, will certainly propel India toward becoming a global knowledge and innovation hub”.

CA Bikram Agarwal, Chief Financial Officer, Seth Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions

The education sector remains a priority for the government. In the Union Budget 2025, the education sector has been allocated Rs 1,28,650.05 crore, marking a 6.65% increase from the previous year. I see an emphasis on harnessing the potential of the country’s demographic dividend by focusing on skill development and accessibility of education through initiatives such as the new National Centres of Excellence for Skilling, 50 thousand additional ATL labs, better broadband connectivity and digital books in Indian languages to reach the last child. At the same time, I see a thrust towards creating a robust AI ecosystem through the Centre of Excellence in AI. It is very much the need of the hour. The capacity building of IITs and enhanced seats in medical college display a positive intent towards strengthening the higher education. Having said that, the budget falls short of 6% of GDP allocation to the education sector, as recommended by the National Education Policy 2020. There is no relief to education institutes from GST, in the sense that they are required to pay the GST whenever procuring any goods or services from vendors. There is also no relief on reverse charge mechanism which is applicable on educational institutions under the GST laws and which creates numerous legal requirements on educational institutions.