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Budget on Education and Growth in Enrollment during 1950 to 1980: An

Appraisal

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Arpana Godbole
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 SAMAGRA GYAN JOURNAL
An International multidisciplinary Journal
(A Peer-Reviewed-referred Journal)
E-ISSN 2582–726X
Vol. 20, Issue 20, March 2022

Budget on Education and Growth in Enrollment during 1950 to 1980 : An

Appraisal

Dr. Arpana Godbole

Associate Professor
Department of Education, University of Lucknow

Rajesh Pratap Singh

Research Scholar
Department of Education, University of Lucknow

ABSTRACT
The paper discusses the budget allocated in post independent India for education and growth in
enrollment. It reviews the budget allocated during the period of 1950 to 1980. In this paper, government
documents, annual reports, research papers and official websites have been reviewed and analyzed to
investigate the budget allocation by the union governments of India since independence to meet the
educational needs of the country. This paper is an attempt to present a review of growth of educational
finance. A data based study has been done in this paper to explore the budget provided by the different
governments for education.

Introduction :
"Organized educational systems do not run on slogans and good intentions. They run on money. Not that
all the problems of education can be solved by throwing money at them. But without money to secure the
essential physical resources of education (buildings, equipment, materials, supplies) and the human

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resources (teachers, administrators and custodians), organized educational systems would collapse onto an
empty centre”(Philip Cooms, 1985:137).
The pattern of central and state governments’ expenditure on a particular sector reflects the priorities for
the sector in public policies. In this regards, the recommendations of Kothari Commission (1964-66) also
known as education commission, on the issues of government funding for education are considered as
important benchmarks. The Kothari Commission estimated the financial requirements of the education
system in our country up to 1985-86 and recommended that" if education is to develop adequately,....The
proportion of GNP allocated to education will rise.....To 6.0 percent in 1985-86"(p 893).
This recommendation made by Kothari Commission was accepted and resolved by the government of
India in the 1968s National policy on education. The expenditure on education in India increased as a
proportion of GNP. The first budget on education was of 114 crore in the year 1950-51 which was the
year of inception of planning. India was spending1.2% of GNP at that time. And by the year 1982-83, it
was increased to about 3.6%. This growth in the budget on education looks great as it increased about 94
times in 36 years from 1947(550 million) to 1983(51860 million). But it is not sufficient as in 1964 the
Kothari commission suggested to spend at least 6% of GDP on education. In per capita terms the increase
in the budget for education has been recorded 51 times only. It was 1.5 per capita in 1947 and 76 per
capita in 1983.
Objectives
 To study the expenditure on education during 1950 to 1980.
 To study the growth in enrollment during 1950 to 1980.
Analysis and Discussion
An account of the work done in 1948-49 was presented before the legislature in the report submitted in the
year of 1949-50. It was mentioned in the report that the economic condition of the country had been
deteriorated. However, there was a hope that the situation would soon improve and permit the early
execution of the schemes for educational expansion prepared after the freedom. By the beginning of 1949-
50, the ministry was ready with its plan to implement the program. A sum of Rs 91 Lakhs for social
education and Rs 45 lakhs for basic education was provided in the current year’s budget. On the basis of
recommendations of scientific man power committee a provision of Rs 50 lakhs was made to improve the
situation of technical education.
As stated in the report of 1949-50, a sum of Rs 14.2 lakhs only was provided for the basic education. But
unfortunately nothing could be spent out of even this small amount and the ministry had to surrender it on
account of the financial stringency. And it was said further that there was no budget for basic education
for the next year plan. All the states would experiment in the field of basic education. An important

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development was made in respect of technical education. The Indian Institute of technology Kharagpur
was established in west Bengal.
In 1959-51, there was a provision of Rs ten lakhs for scholarships of schedule caste, schedule tribes and
other backward classes. This was increased for 12 lakhs for 1950-51 and 15 lakhs for 1951-51. As a part
of five year educational development plan a provision of one crore rupees was made during the year
1952-53,in order to implement the recommendations of planning commission in the field of basic and
social education. The budget for education during the years of first five year plan has been shown in the
table below.
Table No. 1
Expenditure during First Five year plan (1951-56)
S.N. YEAR TOTAL % 0f GNP
1 1951-52 125 1.3
2 1952-53 138 1.5
3 1953-54 148 1.5
4 1954-55 165 1.8
5 1955-56 190 2.0
Table No. 2
Expenditure during Second Five year plan (1956-61)
S.N. YEAR TOTAL % 0f GNP
1 1956-57 206 1.8
2 1957-58 241 2.1
3 1958-59 266 2.1
4 1959-60 300 2.3
5 1960-61 344 2.5

In the field of general education, when distinguished from technical education, the main emphasis in the
third plan was on the provisions to provide the facilities for the education of all children in the age group
6-11. Over the decades 1951-61, the total number of students increased from 23.5 million to 43.5 million.
The increase in the number of students in the age group 6-11 was 79 percent, in the age group 11-14,102
percent and in the age group 14-17, 139 percent. The ratio of children in these groups attending schools
rose respectively from 43 to 61 percent, 13 to 23 percent and 5 to 12 percent. Itwas expected in course of
third plan that the total number of pupils at school will be increase by 20.4 million; 15.3 million in the age
group of 6-11, 3.5 million in the age group 11-14 and 1.6 million in the age-group 14-17.
The budget in respect of these growth and increase was not very much satisfactory. During the whole plan
it never touch the mark of 3%% of GNP.The budget allocated year by year during the third plan by the
government is shown below.

Table No. 3
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 Expenditure during third Five year plan (1961-66)
S.N. YEAR TOTAL % 0f GNP
1 1961-62 396 2.7
2 1962-63 442 2.8
3 1963-64 484 2.7
4 1964-65 535 2.5
5 1965-66 622 2.8

The fourth five year plan firstly reports the expansion at all levels of education during the last 8 years. The
enrollment in class 1-5 increased from 35 million in 1960-61 to 55.5 million in 1968-69;In classes 6-8
from 3 million to 6.6 million to 12.3 million; in class 9-11 from 3 million to 6.6 million and at the
university stage for arts ,science and Commerce faculties from .74 million to 1.69 million. The admission
capacity in engineering and technological institutions increased from 13,828 to 25000 at the degree level
and from 25,800 to 48,600 at diploma level. But many tasks have been remained unfulfilled. Much delay
has already accrued in complying with the Constitutional directive which enjoins on the state of
"Endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this constitution for free
and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years." The target for
this plan was to give priority to expansion of elementary education. Backward areas, communities and
girls were on priority of this plan. The main problem for elementary education was that the parents from
rural and backward areas withdraw their children from schools. For secondary education in the fourth
plan, it was expected to enroll 3.1 million additional pupils in class 9-11.
The year wise budget allocation by the government during this plan is shown below.
Table No. 3
Expenditure during Fourth Five year plan (1969-74)
S.N. YEAR TOTAL % 0f GNP
1 1969-70 1010 3.4
2 1970-71 1118 3.1
3 1971-72 1285 3.3
4 1972-73 1373 3.2
5 1973-74 1450 2.7

The fifth five year plan outlays for education during the first three years of the plan have been somewhat
modest because of the economic situation but the growth in the total government expenditure on
education, both plan and non plan must be considered substantial. The total expenditure was estimated to
rise from Rs 1450 crores in 1974- 75 to about Rs 2287 crores in 1976-77. In this plan, very high priority
was given to elementary education programme.Adequate provision had been made for additional
enrollment in terms of teaching personnel and construction of class- rooms, especially in backward areas.

65| w w w . s a m a g r a g y a n . c o m
 The table below indicates the budget allocation by the government in the years of fifth five year plan.The
existing trend in the increase of enrollment had been kept in view. Against the additional enrollment of 15
lakhs likely to be achieved in the first three years an enrollment target of another 15 lakh in class 9-11/12
has been proposed for 1977-79.
The percentage of children of the age group 14-17/18 enrolled in classes 9-11/12 will increase from 20 in
1973-74 to 1978-79.
Table No. 4
Expenditure during Fifth Five year plan (1974-79)
S.N. YEAR TOTAL % 0f GNP
1 1974-75 1807 2.9
2 1975-76 2105 3.2
3 1976-77 2304 3.2
4 1977-78 2719 3.4
5 1978-79 2960 3.4

Conclusion: In this study, we made attempt to analyze the trends in public expenditure on education in
India. We found that, during the period of 1951 to 1961 expenditure on education was on an average 2.5
% of GNP.Butthe total number of students increased from 23.5 million to 43.5 million. However in the
next decade (1961-71 ) , the expenditure increased from 344 to 1118 crore and had drastic change in
growth in enrollment.In the next decade, the expenditure on education significantly rose to 2960 crore
which was 3.4 percent of GNP but the amount was more that twice of the previous decade.
References :
Tilak, J. B. (1986). Educational finances in India. Indian Journal of Public Administration, 32(3), 581-
589.
Tilak, J. B. (2003). Public expenditure on education in India: A review of trends and emerging
issues. Financing in India: Current Issues and Changing Perspectives. New Delhi: Ravi Books, 3-
54.
De, A., & Endow, T. (2008). Public expenditure on education in India: Recent trends and outcomes.

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