Education continued to be the top priority for the Delhi government with the sector receiving the highest share of ₹15,601 crore, which is 26% of the total budget allocation for 2019-20.
In his budget speech, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia proposed a host of new schemes and initiatives that included setting up of two new universities.
The University of Applied Sciences will have programmes for vocational education of 3 to 12 months, modular programme in various trades, certificate courses of 1 to 2 years, diploma, degree, postgraduate, M. Phil and Ph.D courses. A Teachers’ Training University, the Minister said will focus on promoting excellence in teacher education.
The government has proposed a Digital Learning Scheme to be launched for Class XI and Class XII students studying in Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya (RPVVs) and School of Excellence under which computer tablets will be provided to them at a cost of ₹9 crore.
As an incentive, those who secure above 80% marks in Class X board examination, will be provided with computer tablets under the Pratibha Fellowship Scheme, said Mr. Sisodia. Under the same scheme, excellence in art and culture will also be encouraged via a cash incentive of ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 will be given to the students of government and government-aided schools for the purchase of equipment/apparel, he added.
Scholarship scheme
Under the Chief Minister Scholarship Scheme, the government has announced an annual scholarship of ₹2,500 to government school students who score 80% and above in Classes VII to XII .
For economically backward students belonging to Muslim and Buddhist communities, the rate of scholarship has been increased to ₹500 per student per annum for Classes I to VIII and ₹1,000 for Class IX to Class XII against the previous rates of ₹300 to ₹ 600.
Mr. Sisodia also announced an amount of ₹5 to ₹7 lakh per school for strengthening the school management committees (SMC) working under the chairmanship of principals so that the basic needs of the school such as maintenance, resources for sports and arts, resource teachers and guest teachers in case of shortage of teachers, can be met from this fund.
Corresponding with the launch of its Entrepreneurship Curriculum in Delhi schools, the government has earmarked ₹42 crore for entrepreneurship seed money. Under this, every school student will be given a sum of ₹1,000 per annum and ₹5,000 for students of higher and technical education.
The Minister said that to make Delhi a start-up hub and to encourage students studying in universities and colleges for new innovations, 11 incubation centres have been set up. To help children from the business community learn management skills for furtherance of their respective family business, the government said that it will introduce an MBA in Family Business in Delhi Technological University.
