Budget: Content creators' labs in 15,000 schools, girls' hostel in every district
During her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the setting up of one girls' hostel in every district of the country. There are over 700 districts in the country.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha, unveiling a host of initiatives aimed at strengthening education, research, wellness, and creative industries across India.
Among the key education measures, the government plans to establish a girls' hostel in every district, covering over 700 districts nationwide, and proposes support for the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, to set up content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges across the country.
“India's animation, visual effects, gaming and comics, AVCG, is a growing industry, projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVCG content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools all over the country; and 500 in colleges,” Sitharaman said.
To strengthen design and innovation education, the government announced plans to set up a new National Institute of Design in eastern India, aimed at nurturing creative talent and supporting the country’s expanding design industry.
“The Indian design industry is expanding rapidly, and yet there is shortage of Indian designers,” she further noted. “I propose to establish a new National Institute of Design to boost design education and development,” she added.
The Budget also develop five university townships near major industrial and logistics hubs.
These townships are expected to house multiple universities and colleges, along with residential facilities and advanced research infrastructure, giving a boost to higher education and regional development. Sitharaman emphasized that these steps reflect the government’s commitment to investing in the higher education sector.
In science and research, the government will establish and upgrade four major telescope and astronomy facilities to promote astrophysics and astronomy research, enhancing India’s contribution to global astronomical studies and deepening understanding of the Sun, stars, galaxies, and the universe.
She also announced that three new AIIMS and three All India Institutes of Ayurveda will be established, alongside a plan to train 1.5 lakh caregivers to support wellness and yoga services nationwide.
The Budget further proposed a loan-linked capital subsidy scheme for veterinary colleges, hospitals, and diagnostics laboratories, strengthening education and research infrastructure in allied health sectors.
This marked Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget presentation, continuing the tradition of presenting the Union Budget on February 1 each year to ensure timely parliamentary approval and implementation at the start of the fiscal year on April 1.