Synopsis
On March 26, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari claimed that the Union government reduced the education budget and highlighted a drop in student enrolment across schools. The government denied these claims, stating that the education budget has historically increased.Key Takeaways
- Pramod Tiwari accuses the government of budget cuts.
- Decline in student enrolment reported.
- UDISE report shows significant drop in numbers.
- Government denies accusations, claims budget increase.
- Concerns over economic inequality in education.
New Delhi, March 26 (NationPress) Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Pramod Tiwari has made serious allegations regarding the Union government's reduction of the education budget. He also highlighted a concerning trend of a decline in student enrolment throughout the nation.
Referring to the Ministry of Education’s report from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), Tiwari stated, "For the first time, school enrolment has dropped to 25.17 crore in 2022-23, and further decreased to 24.8 crore in 2023-24.
He claimed, "The report indicates a loss of approximately 1.55 crore students between 2018-19 and 2021-22, representing a decrease of about six percent."
Tiwari contended that these figures indicate the government’s failure to protect the future of India’s youth.
He remarked, "This decline is not merely a number -- it signifies growing economic disparity and mismanagement. Underprivileged families are compelled to withdraw their children from educational institutions," Tiwari noted.
He pointed out that states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam report underutilised classrooms, while others like West Bengal, Telangana, and Punjab struggle with infrastructure overload due to overwhelmed facilities.
"Millions of children are not attending school. The pressing question is whether the government will prioritize its fundamental duties or concentrate on publicity and image management," he further added.
He urged the House to demand an explanation from the government regarding the drop in school enrolment figures.
Tiwari also accused the Centre of slashing the education budget, asserting, "They do not wish to cultivate educated unemployed youth, as this would lead to public inquiries about their rights," adding that the record level of unemployment exacerbates the crisis.
In response, Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary dismissed the allegations of budget cuts. "The education budget has not been reduced -- rather, it has seen a historical increase," he insisted.
Chaudhary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing the education sector and denied any rollback in education funding.
