Budget Reaction

BUDGET REACTION

EDUCATION SECTOR

Mr. Amit Bansal, CEO, PurpleLeap

The initial reactions to the Union Budget presented today would be as follows:

 

Positives:

1. The higher education sector gets an additional 2,000 cr. This is a step in the positive direction. There are lot of reforms as well as initiatives required to improve the quality of education in the higher-ed space. We expect to see initiatives to build capacity in the area of technology enabled learning in the higher education space.
2. Employment Exchange: This has been an area which was neglected for a long time. It is good to find the mention of the same in this budget. I feel that a modern employment exchange will bridge the information gap and immensely help the candidates as well as small to mid size organizations.

 

Areas where we feel more should have been done:

1. Student loans: Whlie student loans for weaker sections for higher ed programs is welcome, the following areas seem to have been neglected
1. Loan subsidy for professional or industry-readiness programs
2. Coverage
2. Apart from more NIIT and IIT, it is far more important to improve the standard of education in other institutes. The engg colleges could improve the quality of education by leveraging technology heavily. Colleges need to be enabled for technology enabled learning so that teachers can use standard content and simulations for more effective learning.  We would have liked to see some direction on the lines of ICT for the higher-ed space as well.
3. Skill Development Centers: More clarity on the skill development centers that can be used to create large vocational base through short-term programs. We would like the govt to give attention to this large gap and provide for creating talent across this bottom of pyramid segment as well.