This year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has faced budget cuts with the Centre reducing its grant by more than 60 per cent, while the allocation to Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) has also been reduced for the second year in a row. Soon after the announcement, the Indian National Teachers’ Congress expressed unhappiness on the Union Government’s decision to cut higher education budget allocations. The teachers’ body further raised concerns about a 60.99 per cent reduction in funding from the UGC.
“The reduction of budget allocation for higher education and drop in the UGC funding by 60.99% reflects the (union) government’s intention to convert government public-funded institutions to self-financing institutions,” the Congress party’s teachers’ wing said in a press release, as quoted by Careers360.
According to the press release, the BJP-led central government has stopped funding for infrastructure development and research facilities in universities and has directed the institutes to seek loans from the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA).
Student fees are the only source of income for public-funded institutions, and they will increase dramatically as a result of this, reports stated. In 2023, Delhi University (DU) reportedly generated more than Rs 100 crore from 5 lakhs of college students to create infrastructure on campus. The press release as per Careers360 mentioned that the decision will affect the opportunities for economically weaker section (EWS) students in higher education.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim budget 2024 on February 1. The current fiscal year’s budget allocation for higher education has been revised to Rs 57,244.48 crore, a Rs 9,600 crore decrease. The finance minister set aside Rs 47,619.77 crore for higher education, up Rs 3,525.15 crore (7.4 per cent) from the budget estimate for the fiscal year 2023-24. Meanwhile, grants for research and innovation to institutions have increased marginally.
While not directly commenting on the budget cuts, UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar stated that the budget includes significant outlays for various sectors. For example, the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) is an important NEP implementation milestone.
In addition, the budget for the premier Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) also saw a massive 35.8 per cent reduction. This year’s budgetary allocation for IIMs is Rs 212.21 crore, a reduction from Rs 331.01 crore in the previous fiscal year. However, budget expenditure for central universities has increased to Rs 15,928.00 crore, up from Rs 12,394.22 crore in the previous fiscal year’s RE.
Meanwhile, members of the teaching faculty at central universities have also criticised the significant cut to the higher education sector.
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