Prof. Appa Rao Podile, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad (UoH) lauded the Union Budget 2021-22 presented by the hon’ble Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman and said that the reforms will give a major boost to education.
Introduction of legislation for the Higher Education Commission of India, umbrella institutions in 9 cities, National Research Foundation with about 10k crores per annum, setting up 100 new Sainik schools, and partnership with UAE and Japan in area of skill development and recognition, were among major announcements made for the education sector in the Union Budget 2021.
Referring to the plan for umbrella institutions in 9 cities, Prof. Podile said, “The University of Hyderabad has been for the past few years, partnering with institutions for research and teaching which has benefitted all the institutions involved. Providing the Glue Grant will further synergise formal connections and research networks in these cities, for mutual benefit”.
“The proposed National Research Foundation with about 10k crores per annum will give a boost to innovation and R&D Ecosystem, across disciplines. We see this emphasis on innovation, already embodied in rankings such as ARIIA (in which I should note that UoH has topped), as a welcome move under an apex body.
The proposed National Language Translation Mission will make knowledge available to many more sectors of the population, through Indian languages. This will boost a sense of the nation via knowledge sharing.
The proposed legislation to create the Higher Education Commission of India with four verticals for standard-setting, accreditation, regulation, and funding will need to balance autonomy and regulation. We expect this to bring together various diverse functions under one body for greater efficiency – which is always welcome.
Partnerships are integral to growth. This proposal to partner institutions in Japan and UAE for skill development, coming on the heels of the UGC move to encourage offshore campuses will encourage Institutions of Eminence such as UoH to not only reach out to other nations but also work towards new programs for the world’s skill development. This is exciting and we at UoH look forward to such a move.