On February 1, 2025, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled significant initiatives during her eighth Budget speech aimed at enhancing education through artificial intelligence. A new Centre of Excellence in AI for education will be established with a budget of ₹500 crore.
This addition follows the announcement of three Centres of Excellence in AI for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities made in 2023. The new center aims to foster innovation and learning in educational institutions.
Additionally, the government plans to set up 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years, aimed at sparking curiosity and promoting scientific inquiry among students.
Further developments include the expansion of infrastructure for five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) established after 2014, which will accommodate an additional 6,500 students. The overall student enrollment in IITs has doubled over the past decade.
To enhance digital education, the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme will provide digital Indian language books for schools and higher education. Furthermore, broadband connectivity will be extended to all government secondary schools and primary health centers in rural areas under the Bharatnet project.