The Union Budget 2025-26 has laid out a comprehensive plan to enhance the nation’s public education, healthcare, and skilling infrastructure, focusing on improving access to quality education, healthcare facilities, and employment opportunities across the country.
In the realm of public education and health, the budget proposes the establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years. These labs aim to nurture curiosity, innovation, and scientific temper among young minds. To improve digital access, broadband connectivity will be extended to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the BharatNet project. Furthermore, the Bhartiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme will be implemented to provide digital Indian language books for schools and higher education institutions. In the healthcare sector, the budget outlines plans to set up Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals over the next three years, with 200 centres slated to open in FY 2025-26.
For skilling and higher education, the budget announces the creation of five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling, designed to equip youth with global expertise and skills required for “Make for India, Make for the World” manufacturing. Additional infrastructure will be developed in five IITs established after 2014, enabling education for 6,500 more students. To advance technology-driven education, a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education will be set up with an outlay of ₹500 crore. In the medical field, 10,000 additional seats will be added to medical colleges and hospitals in the upcoming year, with a goal to add 75,000 seats over the next five years.
These initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to fostering innovation, improving healthcare accessibility, and preparing the youth for future employment opportunities, contributing to the country’s long-term development goals.
