NEW DELHI: According to the PRS Report, In 2024-25, spending on education fell 5% short of budgeted estimates, with school education underspending by 7% and higher education by 2%.
The school education budget was โน73,008 crore, but only โน67,571 crore was spent. Similarly, higher education spending was โน46,482 crore against an estimate of โน47,620 crore.
The share of education in the Union Budget has also declined, rising from 3.8% of GDP in 2013-14 to an estimated 4.64% in 2020-21, still below the NEPโs target of 6%.
The report highlighted that Key schemes like PM-POSHAN, PM-SHRI, and STARS experienced significant underspending.
The budgeted funds for PM-POSHAN in 2024-25 were โน12,467 crore, but actual spending was โน10,000 crore, a 20% shortfall.
PM-SHRI saw an underspend of 26%, with actual expenditure of โน4,500 crore compared to the budgeted โน6,050 crore.
STARS, which supports state education initiatives, had a budget of โน1,250 crore, but only โน850 crore was spent, marking a 32% shortfall.
The report also noted that PM-USHA, which aims to upgrade higher education infrastructure, saw an underspend of 51%, with actual spending at โน895 crore against the budgeted โน1,815 crore. Additionally, student financial aid saw 33% less spending than budgeted.
The PM-POSHAN scheme, which serves mid-day meals to 11.8 crore children, has an allocation of โน12,500 crore for 2025-26. It is projected to account for 10% of the Ministryโs expenditure in 2025-26.
From 2018-19 to 2023-24, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, which focuses on education reform, utilized 85% of its allocated budget on average, leaving 15% unspent. In 2025-26, 52% of the Departmentโs allocation is for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
Additionally, 56% is allocated to transfers to central universities and IITs. Actual spending on IITs, NITs, and central universities in 2024-25 exceeded the allocated budget as per the data provided by PRS Report
