Govt To Create Additional Infra In Five IITs Set Up After 2014, Expand IIT Patna: Sitharaman

Budget 2025-26 boosts education with IIT expansions, broadband in rural schools, AI excellence centres, and 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to enhance scientific learning.

New Delhi: The government will create additional infrastructure in five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and expand IIT Patna, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday. Presenting her eighth straight Union Budget, Sitharaman said the government will launch the 'Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak' scheme to provide a digital form of Indian language books for schools and higher education.

"The total number of students in 23 IITs has increased by 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and another infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded.

The announcement to expand IIT Patna comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls due later this year. The FM also announced that in the next five years, 10,000 fellowships for technology research in IITs and IISc will be provided.

"Five national centres for excellence for skilling with global expertise and partnerships will be set up and 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools in the next five years to cultivate scientific temper in young minds," she said.

Sitharaman said broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres in rural areas.

"I had announced three centres of excellence in AI for agriculture, sustainable cities, and health in 2023. Now, a Centre of Excellence in AI for education will be set with an outlay of Rs 500 crore," she said.