Kolkata, Jul 18 (PTI) The West Bengal government has significantly increased investment in education infrastructure at both the primary and higher education levels, a senior education department official said on Friday.
Principal Secretary, School & Higher Education Department, Binod Kumar, said the state has made substantial progress over the past decade in building educational infrastructure, expanding institutions, and promoting digital education.
“The school education budget has risen from Rs 829 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 10,260 crore in 2024-25, while higher education spending has grown from Rs 1,724 crore to Rs 6,404 crore during the same period,” Kumar said while speaking at Assocham organised EduMeet 2025, according to a statement.
Kumar said that the number of universities in the state has expanded from 12 in 2010-11 to 46 at present, including 31 state-run and 15 private universities.
Similarly, higher education institutions have nearly doubled from 1,056 to 2,049, and 7,260 new schools have been added, taking the total to 57,690.
Kumar also highlighted progress in enrollment and gender parity.
“The gross enrollment ratio has grown from 13.24 lakh to 27.22 lakh students, and the gender parity ratio has improved from 42 per cent to 50 per cent, ensuring equal participation of boys and girls in education,” he said in the statement.
Speaking at the event, British Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India, Andrew Fleming, noted the UK’s strong education ties with India, highlighting that 1.3-1.4 lakh Indian students received UK student visas last year.
Kevin Goh, Acting Consul General of Australia, said Australia is keen to collaborate with India not only at the university level but also in vocational, secondary, and skills-based education.
He cited the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) and the MATES scheme as key enablers of education and skills mobility between the two countries. PTI BSM RG
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