Increased allocation for Higher Education in 12th Plan

Increased allocation for Higher Education in 12th Plan

Realizing that country’s sustained growth will only be possible through a strong education system, Union Minister for HRD Kapil Sibal has pushed for increased allocation for the sector in the Twelfth plan.

At the recently concluded meeting of Planning Commission, Sibal made a strong pitch for more funds. Though the initial allocated saw a rise between 100 to 125 percent over the Eleventh plan. It is understood that Sibal argued that the increased allocation was not even adequate for business as usual. The minister was of the view that this was the right time to make investments in crucial sectors like secondary education including skill development, to expand the Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodaya Vidyalaya experience. There are plans to set up 500 new Kendriya Vidyalayas and 378 Navodaya Vidyalaya in the Twelfth Plan, reports Economic Times.

A stronger school education system, on the back of the Right to Education and universalisation of secondary education, would mean robust demand for higher education. Sibal argued that there was a need to strengthen the state institutions and the student financial aid system. More importantly the minister made the case that if India was to grow at 8.2 per cent and sustain that growth then it would need a vibrant research and innovation. That would require increased funding for the higher education sector.

It is to be noted that the planning commission is understood to have accepted the argument for higher funding. As against a demand of Rs 65000 crore, over and above the Rs 40000 for secondary education, the plan panel has agreed to increase allocation to Rs 55,000 crore. Though far less than the Rs 125000 that the minister asked for the increased funding is expected to bolster the efforts to universalise secondary education. The ministry has target an enrollment ratio of 90% at the secondary (class IX and X) and 65% in the higher secondary (class XI and XII) by 2017.

The higher education segment has got a larger increase from the allocation of Rs 110000 to Rs 166000. The additonal funds will be used to better the student financial aid system, improve funding to state institutions and research and innovation. With the government aiming to increase enrollment ratio at the higher education level to 25.2% by 2017-18, from the current rate of 17.9%, a strong student aid system is essential. In the Twelfth plan, the ministry aims to set up comprehensive student financial aid programmes at all levels and establish the Credit Guarantee Fund for loans.

However, Sibal was unable to convince the panel for an additional amount of Rs 100000 crore over the next four years to implement the Right to Education, provision for a year of pre-school and strengthen residential school system in SC, ST and minority blocks was not accepted. Neither was the demand of an additional Rs 30000 crore for mid day meal scheme accepted.

Sibal was, however, able to secure an agreement for a differential fund sharing pattern for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to address the special requirements of states which are lagging behind. In addition to the North Eastern states and Jammu & Kashmir, two more states—Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh—have been designated as "special category" states and the centre will bear 90% of the funding.