Budgetary allocation for education "grossly insufficient", can't address key issues: RTE Forum

By A Representative
Commenting on the Interim Budget presented by the Government of India (GoI) in Parliament on Friday, Ambarish Rai, National Convenor, Right to Education (RTE) Forum, has said that the budget has again failed to provide “the long-pending demand of an investment of 6% of GDP on education.”
According to him, “A mere allocation of Rs 38572 crore (only negligible increase of Rs 6238 crore from previous year) under National Education Mission of which only Rs 36,472.40 crore for School Education under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is grossly inadequate to universalise education up to secondary level.”
He added, “The total budget allocated for education sector, Rs 93,847.64 crore for 2019-20, with an increase of Rs 8, 837 crore from last year’s allocation of Rs 85, 010 crore, is totally insufficient for any substantial improvement in elementary and higher education.”
Asserting that the GoI has failed to address the key issues of the education sector, like the huge number of out of school children (84 million: Census 2011), 9.3 lakhs vacancy of teachers in the country, closure of government schools (nearly 2 lakh) across the country, and only 12% RTE compliant schools, Rai said, “With such a meagre budget, the government will not be able to ensure fulfillment of the provisions of the RTE Act.”

Comments

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities.

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh* Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.

Counterview

Search This Blog