What happened (funding pattern and scheme priorities)
The Ministry of Education reported a steady increase in the budget allocation for the Department of Higher Education, and it also detailed actual expenditure for 2021-22 to 2025-26. Alongside budget numbers, the Ministry explained how the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is implemented and how the NEP 2020-aligned third phase runs through Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) with Focus District-based equity targeting.
Funding trend: Department of Higher Education (Central allocation and actual expenditure)
The Ministry stated that education sits in the Concurrent List, so increasing education expenditure is the responsibility of both the Central and State Governments. The Ministry reported the following Central budget allocation for the Department of Higher Education:
Rs. 34,006.39 crore in 2021-22Rs. 50,747.66 crore in 2025-26It further gave actual expenditure (Rs. in crore) for the Department of Higher Education for 2021-22 to 2025-26:
2021-22: 34,006.392022-23: 38,994.902023-24: 43,436.112024-25: 46,055.442025-26: 50,747.66
Related current affairs
- PM-USHA (third phase of RUSA) outlay and extension for higher education access, equity and excellence
- NEP 2020/NCF-SE 2023: CBSE–NCERT Computational Thinking & AI curriculum for Classes III–VIII (from 2026-27) and grade 9–12 finalized
- Status of Vidyanjali and Community Participation in School Education
- Research Output from Centrally-funded Institutions: NEP 2020 push, rising R&D spending and key schemes
- PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 assesses baseline learning under NEP 2020; links findings to NIPUN Bharat Mission
- RUSA phase-3/PM-USHA projects approved under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and PM-USHA