Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament today, outlined key measures for higher education, focusing on the expansion of IITs and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in learning.
The number of students enrolled across 23 IITs has doubled over the past decade, increasing from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. To support this growth, additional infrastructure will be developed in five IITs established after 2014, creating space for 6,500 more students.
Sitharaman also announced plans to set up a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education with a total allocation of ₹500 crore. This initiative aims to integrate AI into learning processes and support research in technology-driven education.
