New Delhi: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday condemned the remarks made by Union Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan in context of allocation of budget for the education sector in an interview given to an English Daily.
The comments made by the Union Finance Secretary are not only contrary to the wider understanding that emerges out of the comprehensive deliberations held during the course of formation of National Education Policy 2020 but also overlook the issues brought to fore by the PM Narendra Modi with respect to the education sector.
Appropriate investment by the state and union governments, and by private players is necessary to ensure Infrastructure development in the field of education, improvement in the lacklustre state of GER in higher education, and to ensure the wide ranging improvements envisioned in the National Education Policy in line with the expectations of the Amrit Kaal.
The Kothari Commission (1966) recommended that the budgetary allocation for the education sector should be at 6%, in addition to this, all National Education Policies and various documents and papers, pertaining to the education sector, released from time to time after a lot of deliberation among experts have underlined the importance of budgetary allocation for education. While there has been an increase in the said budgetary allocation, it still does not meet the recommended 6% allocation.
“The Union Finance Secretary’s comments on budgetary allocation for education in his interview to the daily reflect his lack of proper understanding on matters concerning education and are highly irresponsible,” it said.
ABVP’s National General Secretary Yagyavalkya Shukla said, “The issue of proper investment of funds in the education sector is indispensible and crucial for a better common future. Allocation of funds is an essential factor to improve the access and quality of education in the country. All the developed countries invest heavily in their education system. Such remarks will only boost mistrust against the government in the education community, at a time when the entire country is anticipating substantial changes after the New Education Policy. The remarks made by the Union Finance Secretary regarding the education sector are insensitive and unfortunate.”
