10,000 seats of the Medical University next year, 75,000 on the next 5: Nirmala Sitharaman

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As many as 10,000 additional seats will be added to medical colleges across India next year, with the aim to add a total of 75,000 over the next five years, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Saturday afternoon as she presented the Union Budget 2025.


She also had positive news for IITs, or Indian Institute of Technologies, declaring the number of students across 23 such in the country had increased by over 100 per cent in 10 years, and that additional infrastructure will be created for five IITs set up after 2014 for 6,500 more students.


As part of a larger focus on investing in upskilling and higher education, Ms Sitharaman also said five National Centres of Excellence would be set up with global expertise and partnerships, to equip youth with the skills needed for 'Make in India, Make for the World'.


She also said a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education would be set up with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.


Ms Sitharaman began the budget speech - her eighth consecutive presentation, a record - a little after 11 am. But there was ruckus almost immediately, with MPs from Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party shouting slogans wanting, first, a discussion on the Maha Kumbh stampede.


A few minutes later the protesting MPs held a symbolic walk out, leaving and the re-joining the House.


Meanwhile, Ms Sitharaman continued reading out the budget, beginning by identifying several broad areas of focus. These were agricultural growth and productivity, rural growth, inclusive growth, supporting MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), enabling employment-led development, investing in people, securing energy supplies, promoting exports.


"Our economy is the fastest-growing among all major global economies. Our development track record of the past 10 years and structural reforms have drawn global attention. Confidence in India's capability and potential has only grown in this period. We see the next five years as a unique opportunity to realize 'sabka vikas', stimulating balanced growth of all regions," she began her speech.