Abstract

Education is the gateway to progress for any nation, and without education, the development of a country is not possible. Just as the human body cannot function without a heart, similarly, for a nation and society to thrive, the presence of education—and a healthy education system—is essential. Here, the term “health of education” refers to quality education, innovation-driven learning, and the crucial role of the government in shaping and strengthening the education sector.
In this context, the researcher, in the present short study, has examined the Union Budgets issued by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, from 2020 to 2025, with the objective of analysing the annual allocation made for the education sector. Along with this, the study also evaluates the priority areas identified in each year’s budget and the specific segments of education that received greater emphasis.
Overall, a broadly consistent trend is observed in government expenditure on education during the period from 2020 to 2025. However, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the education budgets for the years 2021–22 were comparatively lower than those of 2020–21. During this period, the government’s primary focus remained on key initiatives such as Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Pm Poshan, Pm Shri Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
The findings also highlight a gradual shift toward skills training, quality enhancement and post-pandemic educational recovery, while maintaining continued support for higher education establishments. Despite these funding increases, the analysis reveals that education expenditure remains below the 6% of GDP benchmark recommended by Nep 2020. The research concludes that although recent years have shown improved budgetary commitment to education, achieving sustained educational transformation and equitable development in India necessitates consistent, results-focused investment strategies.