Education and health's combined share of the Union Budget fell from 6.5% in 2013-14 to about 4.5% in 2026-27. Education alone is around 2.6%, while road transport's share rose from 1.8% to 5.8%.
Why Education's Budget Share Fell as Protests Grew
The paper leak lit the match, but the fuel was years in the making. Education's share of the Union Budget has been quietly shrinking — even as the rupee figure kept going up.
The protests are about a leaked exam paper. The anger underneath them is about something slower: education's steadily shrinking share of India's budget.
The Numbers Behind the Anger
The combined share of education and health in the Union Budget fell from 6.5% in 2013-14 to about 4.5% in 2026-27. Education alone accounts for roughly 2.6% of total budget outlay, down from around 3% in 2019-20.
Why Bigger Numbers Can Still Mean Less
The Ministry of Education's allocation has risen to around Rs 1.20-1.25 lakh crore by 2026-27, nearly doubling in nominal terms. But as a share of a much larger total budget, its priority has fallen. Absolute growth masks relative decline.
Where the Money Went Instead
The allocation for Road Transport and Highways rose from 1.8% of the Budget to 5.8% — now exceeding the combined budgetary share of education and health.
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Support Our WorkThe Wider Context
India's total public spending on education, centre and states combined, sits at around 2.7% of GDP, well short of the 6% target that policy documents have named for decades.
Why Students Feel It
For most families, competitive exams are the one reliable ladder into a stable career. When that ladder is both underfunded and compromised by leaks, the frustration compounds. Analysis at Careers360.
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