Besides the usual provisions, a Digital University has been proposed to give access to world-class quality education to all students with personalised learning experience at their doorstep. There is an assumption that being digital equals world-class with the potential of offering personalised learning experience. Needless to say, this needs to be examined. Setting up 750 virtual labs in Science and Maths has also been proposed, to promote crucial critical thinking skills among children. Improvement of digital infrastructure in rural areas is planned under which DTH access will be provided to Doordarshan and educational channels for villages in the northern areas.

The Budget also focuses on skill development and vocational education; development of content and its availability through different media like online, television and radio; PM e-Vidya programme to be extended from 12 to 200 TV channels; teachers to be trained to teach with digital tools and setting up world-class foreign universities in Gandhinagar, free from domestic regulations, to facilitate skill development in the financial services space.

The education budget, however, also exhibits some glaring gaps as reported in India today. Like the budget for education has increased in absolute terms, but public investment in education is nowhere near 6 per cent of GDP as stipulated by National Education Policy 2020. The Samagra Shiksha scheme – which saw a big reduction last year – could not make up for the previous year’s budget despite increased allocation this year. Among the sectors which have seen a reduced or similar allocation as last year are teacher training, adult education, scholarship for ST girls from rural areas and mid-day meal scheme.

There is no denying that the Budget reflects government’s priorities, and overall intent. Though the financial requirements form an integral and basic variable for growth of any sector, there is no direct correlation between greater finances and greater good for the sector and people benefitted by it.

Somehow the steps taken over the past two years, including measures adopted to make up for school closure and loss of learning, and desperation to find alternative ways of assessing students reminds me of a quote from the famous Yashpal committee report on Learning without Burden, which said: “a lot is being taught but little is learnt or understood”. This means that though it seems a lot of work is being done in schools – could be as banal as copying from textbook to blackboard, from blackboard to notebooks, assigning homework and conducting examinations – one is not sure whether any learning is taking place and what that learning really means. Similarly, every year lots of schemes and programmes are initiated but what difference do they make to providing equitable, uniform and quality education to all irrespective of where they come from, is a question which remains largely unanswered.