Budget 2025 Expectations for Online Education, Edtech, Study Abroad Experts, and Skilling Sector: The pre-budget consultations for the upcoming Union Budget FY 2025-26, chaired by Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, finished on January 6, 2025, in New Delhi. The consultations lasted a month, beginning on December 6, 2024. Now, all eyes are on the Finance Minister's presentation of the Union Budget FY 2025-26 to Parliament.

Budget 2025 Expectations for Education Sector

Various sectors, including online education, edtech, study abroad experts, and the skilled sector, are optimistic about the Union Budget FY 2025-26 documents and hoping that the government's most important financial document of the year will meet their expectations.

Pravesh Dudani, Founder and Chancellor of Medhavi Skills University, stated, "India's educational landscape is at a critical moment. The Budget 2025 should not only repair existing budget shortfalls, but also move us forward by incorporating next-generation technologies such as AI, IoT, and robots into mainstream curriculum. By significantly expanding public spending on education and establishing strong industry-academia partnerships, we can create a globally competitive, job-ready workforce that will promote inclusive growth and strengthen India's position as a leading knowledge economy.

According to Pratham Barot, CEO and Co-Founder of Zell Education, "Union Budget 2025-26 presents a critical opportunity to strengthen India's financial education landscape through strategic edu-fintech partnerships. With increased Gross Enrollment Ratio targets in higher education, it is critical that students have access to accurate information and support in order to make informed decisions about their online education experience."

"The budget should focus programs that address the knowledge gap in online education while maintaining high quality requirements. We want to see particular funding for the development of strong career counseling frameworks and digital literacy programs that assist students in evaluating and selecting appropriate online education options. "This will be critical in democratizing access to quality higher education and preparing our workforce for future opportunities," Rohit Gupta said.

Anish Shah, Chief Financial Officer of Zee Learn Limited, stated, "In the coming year, the education sector in India is poised for significant growth and development, driven by the implementation of NEP 2020 and the increasing adoption of online and digital education. The NEP emphasizes the significance of core reading and numeracy, hence there will be increased emphasis. A significant increase in the education budget is required to alleviate educational institutions' human resource shortages. Collaboration between educational institutions and edtech companies may provide digital education to the masses by providing programs, upskilling courses, and job possibilities. The use of AI in education is expected to improve the learning experience by making it more personalized, interactive, and effective. As a result, it is critical to leverage AI's potential to improve student outcomes, enrich the educational experience, and prepare students for success in an AI-driven world."

Gaurav Batra, Co-Founder and CEO of Infinite Group, says, "The Union Budget 2025-26 must address the significant issues encountered by Indian students seeking overseas education in the face of global inflation and rising expenses. We anticipate critical governmental initiatives, particularly in lowering education loan interest rates and increasing financial aid support for study-abroad applicants. The budget should also prioritize international university collaborations and streamline processes for foreign universities establishing Indian campuses. As specialists in assisting students in achieving their global education goals, Infinite Group believes that these initiatives will considerably increase India's participation in foreign education and provide more accessible avenues for our young youth to obtain global exposure."

Kuldip Sarma, Pro-Chancellor and Co-Founder of Medhavi Skills University, stated, "The Union Budget should address the difficulties of educational loans to make education more accessible and affordable for students, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite significant funding for education, additional investment is needed to satisfy global workforce requirements. This also includes financing for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) research, digital learning, and industry-specific capabilities such as artificial intelligence and Internet of Things. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and international student subsidies can help to develop India's educational ecosystem and position it as a global education hub in the coming years."

Budget 2025 Date and Time

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to table the Union Budget FY 2025-26 on February 1, 2025, at around 11 a.m.