Jaipur, Divya Rashtra. “I appreciate the Budget 2024 announcements and see them as positive steps towards Viksit Bharat. The government’s focus on closing the skill gap is clear with five new schemes. One key scheme promotes collaboration between the government, academia, and industry to upskill youth by matching course content with industry needs and adding new courses for emerging demands. This is a crucial development, and the EdTech sector can play a big role in expanding this initiative across Bharat. For students who are not eligible under any scheme or policy, the announcement of a loan of Rs 10 Lakh to pursue higher education at any domestic institution is in line with NEP 2020’s vision of improving the Gross Enrollment Ratio of the nation and the government should also look at introducing academic performance-linked models of funding for Educational programs. Additionally, loans for skilling and schemes supporting women and girls will help harness the country’s demographic and gender dividend, boosting economic growth. However, it’s important to remember that the budget allocation is only part of the solution. The real challenge will be how all stakeholders come together and execute this to pave the way to larger economic progress.”