Union Budget 2026: Teachers, technology and the true cost of school education reforms & more related News Here

The Union Budget 2026 is being pitched around growth, skills and competitiveness, but school education is still judged on the basis of access – more classes, more enrolments. Education leaders argue that the real test now is results. Aarti Dawar, CEO, Shiv Nadar School, says sustained investment in teacher development, modern pedagogy, industry exposure and equitable technology access is essential to transform NEP 2020 from policy intent to classroom impact.Every Union Budget comes with familiar promises like growth, skills, competitiveness, which inspire confidence. Schooling, when it appears, is usually created through access: new classrooms, higher enrolment, more coverage. What is less discussed is the difficult question: whether the quality of learning, teacher capacity and institutional depth are keeping pace with the scale of the system.The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had already identified this imbalance. Its emphasis on outcomes, pedagogy, assessment reforms and teacher capacity marked a deliberate shift from enrolment-first thinking. But policy architecture, no matter how well designed, does not execute on its own. The next phase of reform depends not on new intentions, but on whether public investment is prepared to remain patient, predictable and large-scale.It is this translation gap between policy ambition and classroom reality that education leaders are now urging the Budget to address.Echoing this concern, Ms Aarti Dawar, CEO, Shiv Nadar School, says, “As India moves forward with the goals of NEP 2020, school education needs sustained investment in teacher training, leadership development and institutional capacity building to translate policy intent into classroom impact…”

Industry exposure should start early, not at graduation level

One of the recurring gaps in India’s education-to-employment pipeline is the late onset of workplace exposure. According to Dawar, the budget must recognize that employability does not start in college – it is shaped much earlier. She says, “Early integration of industry partnerships and skill-based training will be helpful in preparing students for the growing demands of the workforce. We need investments in structured internship programmes, mentorship initiatives and technology-driven solutions.”She says such collaborations are not limited to school education, but are directly linked to national goals. “Such collaboration is in line with both the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) growth targets and India’s macroeconomic competitiveness objectives,” says Dawar.

Digital Equity: The New Mistake in Schooling

While digital learning infrastructure expanded rapidly during the pandemic, access remains unequal – creating new hierarchies between connected and disconnected classrooms. For Dawar, budget priorities must clearly address this divide. “Digital infrastructure has become the foundation of equitable schooling. Universal access to devices, reliable connectivity and high-quality, locally relevant content are essential to bridge the urban-rural divide,” she says.He argues that the risk is that if technology is left to market forces alone it could deepen exclusion. “The budgetary focus on digital equity will ensure that technology will act as an enabler of inclusion rather than a differentiator, allowing students from different geographies to meaningfully participate in the modern learning ecosystem,” says Dawar.

Building future skills before skills gaps appear

With industries being reshaped by automation and generic AI, education experts are warning against treating future skills as “add-on” subjects. Dawar argues that foundational skills—critical thinking, digital literacy and problem-solving—should be incorporated early in schooling. “The foundation of employability is often laid early in schools. Critical thinking, digital literacy and real-world problem-solving should be prioritized early,” she says.She points to curriculum reform as a major factor. “Increased support for curriculum modernization and industry-aligned learning frameworks can help schools prepare students for the skill demands driven by technology, automation and generative AI,” says Dawar.

Teachers remain the strongest multiplier

Across policy debates, one consensus remains unquestioned: no education reform surpasses its teachers. Dawar argues that budget allocations should more clearly reflect this reality.“Transforming India’s education system depends on empowering our teachers with contemporary pedagogical skills and subject expertise,” says Dawar.Calling for structured, continuous professional development, she adds, “The budget should prioritize comprehensive professional development programs that include digital pedagogy, competency-based teaching methods and integration of emerging technologies.”She points out that the returns on this investment are unusually high. “Teacher training is a critical investment, as each trained teacher impacts thousands of students throughout their career, making it a critical multiplier to achieve the transformative vision of NEP 2020,” says Dawar.