Finance Minister Arun Jaitley makes biggest announcements for Education Sector in India

"Education which does not help common mass of people to equip themselves is it worth of name?.." Finance Minister Arun Jaitley quoted Swami Vivekanandav in the Parliament, before making some of the biggest Budget announcements India has received in education sector so far.

While highlighting Modi government's "Transform, Energize and Clean India" mission for Budget 2017-18, the Finance Minister said,"Quality education will energize our youth."

He proposed the introduction of a system of measuring annual learning. Emphasis, he said, will be given to science education in schools.

To free CBSE and other agencies of administrative responsibilities, he announced a National Testing agency to conduct all examinations in higher education.

Additionally, in a major push to Make In India, Jaitley announced 100 international skill centres across India to help youth who are seeking jobs overseas.

3479 educationally backward blocks will be given focus. A Swayam platform will be launched with atleast 350 online courses and it will be made available through DTH.

Other key highlights concerning education, youth, women and minorities:

Youth
- Legislative reforms to simplify existing labour laws
- ​Stress on vocational training for youth
- Two new AIIMS to be set up in Jharkhand and Gujarat
- Stepped up allocation for welfare of women and child at 1,82,000 crore
-​ One stop convergence support system for skill employment etc for rural women

Women and Children
- Model Shops and Establishment Bill to open up additional opportunities for employment of women
- For welfare of women and children, allocation stepped up from Rs 1,56,528 cr to Rs 1,84,632 cr in 17-18
- Rs 500 cr allocated to set up Mahila Shakti Kendras
- Allocation raised from Rs 1.56 lakh cr to Rs 1.84 lakh cr for women and child welfare.
- Hiked Allocation For Women Skill Development to Rs 1.84 lakh cr
- Total allocation to women and children related schemes to rise from Rs 1.56 lakh crore to Rs 1.84 lakh crore

Minorities - SC/ST
- 35% increase in funds allocation for schedule castes to Rs 52,393 crore.
- Allocation for minorities stepped up 4195 cr.
- Outcome based monitoring by NITI Aayog introduced.

The Finance Minister said,"Providing quality education is very crucial to the children who are on their way to create India’s core working population in the next 10 years. This development in their formative years can help the country in the years to come. Budget 2017 is an opportunity for the government to concentrate on the improvement of school education for children who are enrolled in primary and secondary schools. The Centre’s commitment to education has always been high on intent but low in practice."

The Budget 2016-17 allocated Rs 1,51,581 crore for social sector including education and health care. The then budget included 62 new Navodaya Vidyalayas to be opened, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to increasing focus on quality of education, regulatory architecture to be provided to ten public and ten private institutions to emerge as world-class Teaching and Research Institutions, set up of higher education financing agency with initial capital base of 1000 Crores and the digital depository for school leaving certificates, college degrees, academic awards & mark sheets to be set-up.