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“To leverage India’s demographic advantage and become a global skills capital, Budget 2026 must make skills-embedded higher education central to nation-building. A 20% funding increase (₹10,000 crore) should support AI-powered, industry-aligned experiential labs in 500 tier-2 and tier-3 institutions, alongside stronger research funding for deep tech, climate-resilient agriculture and allied health sciences. Tax incentives and simpler CSR norms can unlock ₹5,000 crore annually for apprenticeships. Mandatory health coverage for contractual educators will strengthen workforce resilience, bridging the rural–urban skills gap. meaningfully to India’s research and technology aspirations.

- Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, Centurion University, Odisha

“Budget 2026 can turn India’s demographic dividend into a future-ready workforce by prioritising project-led learning in AI, data science and emerging technologies, alongside multilingual digital platforms under Digital India. Funding must cover labs, faculty development and industry-led projects to realise NEP in classrooms. Affordability is critical: expand subsidised education loans, strengthen credit guarantees, and increase scholarships for underserved students. Tax incentives for skill certifications and employer-sponsored learning credits will normalise lifelong learning, boost employability, and accelerate India’s shift to an innovation-driven economy.

- Ashish Munjal, Co-founder and CEO, SUNSTONE

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