Lok Sabha Question No. 1011 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Expenditure on  Education Sector under NEP
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 1011 ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## Expenditure on Education Sector under NEP

## †1011. SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is fulfilling the national target of spending 6% of GDP on the education  sector  under  the  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  in  collaboration  with  State Governments;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of the new projects approved by the Government to promote digital education, State-wise;

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  framed  any  policy  for  online  education  platform  for  the students; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (e): The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high-quality education to all, and thereby making India a global knowledge superpower. NEP 2020 recognizes the importance of leveraging the advantages of technology to ensure accessibility of high quality education to everyone .

To achieve the objectives of NEP 2020 , Government of India has taken several initiatives including consistant increase in budget allocation to Ministry of Education from Rs. 93,224.31 Cr  in  2021-22  to  Rs.  1,21,118  Cr  in  2024-25.  Further,  as  per  the  'Analysis  of  Budgeted Expenditure on Education 2019-20 to 2021-22', BE (Centre and States) on Education in India is 4.12% of GDP in 2021-22.

Government  of  India  provides  financial  support  to  State  Governments  under  Rashtriya Uchchatar  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RUSA)/  Pradhan  Mantri  Uchchatar  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (PMUSHA) scheme under three components namely, 'Enhancing Quality and Excellence in select State Universities', 'Infrastructure Grants to Universities' and 'Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU)' for improvement in Higher Education.

Ministry of Education also implements the National Mission of Education through ICT. This scheme aims to ensure accessibility of high quaily educational content, support for prepartion of  competitive  examinations,  digitalisation  of  educational  campuses,  virtual  labs,  online content for reserch, techncial support to use open source platforms etc. Major platforms are SWAYAM, SATHEE, SWAYM plus, FOSSEE, eSS.

SWAYAM is a state-of-the-art digital learning platform which delivers free of cost online courses. It ensures that students have access to high-quality, interactive learning, facilitating equitable and inclusive education. Since inception, the platform has offered more than 14,000 courses, curated and delivered by premier education institutions in the country as IITs and IIMs and has more than 5 crore enrolments. In 2024, 2,557 courses were offered with more than 78 lakh enrolments.

To  promote  online  education,  UGC  has  notified  UGC  (Open  and  Distance  Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 on 4th September, 2020. Subsequently, amendments have been notified on 1st July, 2021, 18th July, 2022 and 2nd May, 2024. UGC has accorded recognition/entitlement to 108 Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to offer ODL programmes and 99 HEIs to offer online programmes.

*****