In einem überarbeiteten Haushaltvorschlag kürzt die indische Regierung Teile des Bildungsbudgets für das Haushaltsjahr 2014/2015.
Govt cuts funds for higher education, IITs worst hit
The government has reduced funds for higher education to the tune of Rs 3,900
crore in its revised budget estimates for the financial year 2014-15. The
government has revised the figure to Rs 13,000 crore, as against Rs 16,900 crore
for the plan allocation.
The revision, say officials, will hit
the eight new IITs that were scheduled to move to their permanent campuses this
academic year. The government has reduced the Rs 2,500 crore originally
allocated to the 16 IITs for the year 2014-15, to Rs 2,337 crore, initiating a
cut of Rs 163 crore.
"The reduction of 163 crore will affect the
new IITs as the HRD ministry will not be able to disburse the funds for the
final phase of construction of their new campuses," an official said.
The eight IITs announced by the UPA government during 2008-12 were operating
out of temporary campuses and six of these (except IIT Ropar and Jodhpur) were
to move to their permanent campuses by July this year.
Additionally, the IITs will have to bear the burden of Rs 150 crore due to the
recent hike in junior and senior research fellowships which have been increased
from Rs 16,000 to Rs 25,000 (JRF) and Rs 18,000 to Rs 28,000
respectively.
The government has also initiated budget cuts for
the five IITs and five IIMs announced in last budget session of the Parliament.
Out of Rs 500 crore allocated for these, the government will now disburse only
Rs 65 crore.
Funds for new initiatives including have also been
cut. While the government has revised the allocation for Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs) from Rs 100 crore to Rs 5 crore, the allocation for the Madan
Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers Training has been revised to Rs 15
crore as against the original Rs 100 crore.
The government has
also revised allocation for Rashtriya Uchcha Siksha Abhiyan - which seeks to
improve overall quality of higher education in the country - to Rs 397 crore as
against Rs 2,200 crore in the original budget.