Budget 2026: ₹1.4 Lakh Cr for Education; New Labs, Girls' Hostels Planned

• Union Budget 2026 allocates ₹1.4 lakh crore to the Education Ministry, a 14% increase from FY26, though still below NEP's 6% GDP recommendation.
• Key allocations include ₹83,562 crore for School Education, ₹55,727 crore for Higher Education, and a 20% hike for PM-POSHAN to ₹12,750 crore.
• New initiatives feature content creator labs in 15,000 schools and 5,000 colleges, a National Institute of Design, and three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda.
• Plans include constructing one girls' hostel in every district, developing five university townships, and upgrading four Telescope Infrastructure facilities.
• TCS rate on overseas education and medical expenses reduced from 5% to 2% under Liberalised Remittance Scheme, benefiting students and families.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 boosts education with increased funding, new institutions, digital labs, and support for girls' higher education.