Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressing a webinar on impact of Union Budget 2022 on education and skill sectors enlisted five ways in which it has been impacted such as universalization of quality education; skill development; inclusion of India’s ancient experience and knowledge of urban planning and designing into education; internationalization and by focusing on animation visual effects gaming comic among other things.

Prime Minister Modi also said, “Budget is not just an account of statistics, budget, if implemented properly, can bring great transformation even with limited resources.”

The webinar was part of the new practice of discussion and dialogue with the stakeholders before and after the budget. The Prime Minister started by emphasizing the importance of the young generation in the process of nation-building. He said “Empowering our youth who are future nation builder, is empowering India’s future”.

Elaborating on five aspects that were highlighted in the Budget 2022, Modi said firstly, key decisions had been taken for universalization of quality education such as expansion of education with improved quality along with enhanced capabilities of the education sector. Secondly, he said attention has been given to skill development.

“Focus is on creating a digital skill ecosystem, skill development as per industry demand and better industry linkages. Thirdly, inclusion of India’s ancient experience and knowledge of urban planning and designing into education is important. Fourthly, Internationalization has been emphasized. This involves arrival of world class foreign universities and encouragement of institutions of GIFT City getting Fintech related institutes. Fifth, focus on Animation Visual Effects Gaming Comic (AVGV) where there is huge potential of employment and there is a big global market. This budget will help a great deal in realizing the National Education Policy”, he said.

About challenges to education system during pandemic, Prime Minister Modi said it was digital connectivity that kept the country’s education system going during the pandemic. He further said, “Innovation is ensuring inclusion in our country. Now going even further, country is moving towards integration.”

Modi stressed that measures like e-Vidya, One Class One Channel, digital labs, digital universities are creating an educational infrastructure which will go a long way in helping the youth of the country. “This is an attempt to provide better education solutions to villages, poor, Dalits, backwards and tribal people in the country’s socio-economic set up”, he added.

“In the recently announced National Digital University, the Prime Minister saw an innovative and unprecedented step that has the potential of fully addressing the problem of seats in the universities. He called upon Education Ministry, UGC and AICTE and all the stakeholders of the Digital University to work with speed on the project. He emphasized the need to keep international standards in mind while creating institutes,” a PMO note quoting Modi stated.

On the International Mother Language Day being observed on Monday, the Prime Minister underlined the link between education in the medium of mother language and the mental development of children. He informed that in many states medical and technical education is also being imparted in the local languages. The Prime Minister called for momentum in creating best content in digital format in local Indian languages. He emphasized that such content needs to be available via Internet, Mobile phones, TV and radio. He reiterated the requirement to keep the work with regard to content in sign languages going with due priority.

Modi said “dynamic skilling is critical from the point of view of global talent demand for Aatmnirbhar Bharat.” He highlighted the need to prepare the ‘demographic dividend’ of the country as per the demands of the changing job roles. Digital Ecosystem for skilling and Livelihood and e-Skilling labs were announced in the budget with this vison in mind, he said.

Explaining how recent changes in the budgetary process are turning budget as a tool of transformation, Prime Minister Modi asked the stakeholders to implement the budget provisions seamlessly on the ground. He said that by advancing budget by one month in recent times, it is being ensured that when it is implemented from first April, all preparation and discussion is already undertaken. He asked the stakeholders to ensure optimum outcome from the budget provisions.

“In the context of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and National Education, this is the first budget, which we want to implement quickly for laying down the foundation of the Amrit Kaal”, the Prime Minister said adding, “budget is not just an account of statistics, budget, if implemented properly, can bring great transformation even with limited resources.”