Key Highlights of 2025
Union Government of India: Education & Literature
Academic Year 2025–2026
The year 2025 marked significant strides in India’s education sector under the Union Government, driven by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 implementations and the Union Budget 2025-26. With a record allocation of ₹1,28,650 crore to the Ministry of Education—a 6.22% increase—the focus was on skill development, AI integration, and inclusive learning. The academic year 2025-2026 saw the full rollout of the 5+3+3+4 structure in CBSE and state board schools, alongside advancements in entrance exams and literary recognitions.
Union Budget 2025-26: Record Investments
Total Allocation: ₹1,28,650 crore
School Education: ₹78,572 crore (highest ever, up 7%). Higher Education: ₹50,078 crore (up 7.74%).
School Education: ₹78,572 crore (highest ever, up 7%). Higher Education: ₹50,078 crore (up 7.74%).
- AI & Innovation: ₹500 crore for the fourth Centre of Excellence in AI for Education, spanning pre-primary to research levels; ₹20,000 crore for private sector-driven R&D.
- Infrastructure: 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in government schools over 5 years; broadband to all secondary schools via BharatNet.
- Language & Digital Access: Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme for digital Indian language books in schools and higher education.
- Higher Ed Expansion: ₹11,349 crore for IITs (up 9.92%); infrastructure in 5 post-2014 IITs for 6,500 additional seats; 10,000 new medical seats starting 2025.
- Student Aid: Up 68% to ₹2,160 crore for underprivileged access.
- Schemes Boost: PM SHRI to ₹7,500 crore; Gyan Bharatam Mission for 1+ crore manuscripts and National Digital Repository.
NEP 2020 Rollouts in Schools & Colleges
- Full 5+3+3+4 structure in all CBSE/state schools; NCERT revisions for Grades 7, 9, 11 by 2026 with competency-based focus.
- No Detention Policy scrapped for Classes 5 & 8; retakes mandatory to address gaps (ASER 2024).
- Vocational training mandatory in Classes 6-8; 120+ hours hands-on before Class 12.
- Gender Inclusion Index introduced; 100+ single-stream colleges merged into Multidisciplinary Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs).
- Four-Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP) in 105+ universities, including 19 central ones; Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) for flexible exits.
Entrance & Job Examinations
- JEE Main/Advanced & NEET in 13 languages; NTA’s CUET expanded to 90% central universities for standardized UG admissions.
- Biannual board exams piloted; formative assessments emphasizing understanding over rote learning.
Literature Sector Highlights
- Sahitya Akademi Awards 2025 announced: 24 winners across languages for outstanding works (2019-2023 books); new direct nomination from authors/publishers.
- Yuva Puraskar 2025: 23 young authors honored for diverse genres; Bal Sahitya Puraskar for children’s literature in 24 languages.
- Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav 2025 celebrated multilingualism; focus on translations and regional identity.
These 2025 initiatives under the Union Government fortify NEP 2020’s vision, promoting equitable, tech-driven education and vibrant literary diversity for the 2025-2026 academic year and Viksit Bharat 2047.
