Due to lack of funds, the Delhi Government has reduced the examination budget of its schools. Earlier it was `125 per student but now it has been cut to `90. The principals of the schools claim that it will be difficult for them to manage in the limited budget.
A circular said: “All Heads of Government Schools of the Directorate of Education are hereby informed that the mandatory budget allocation for classes I to XII has been reduced to `90 per student. This has been done for the examinations of 2022-23”. The circular further said due to a “shortage of budget”, the expenditure is restricted up to `90 per student instead of `125. “Demand of additional budget will not be entertained,” the circular added.
Apart from funds for conducting the examination, the examination budget includes stationery, answer sheets, question paper printing and other expenses. Officials of the Directorate of Education (DoE) could not be contacted to discuss the matter.
“Since the day-to-day cost of everything has been increasing, further budget cuts by the Government in education will be yet another problem for the schools,” District Secretary (West-A) of the Government School Teachers Association, Sant Ram said.
Talking about the city Government cutting down budgets in education, Ram said the fundings have been reduced in several other areas as well.
“The Government has been reducing funds ever since the (COVID-19) pandemic hit. They have stopped the local tours as well that we used to hold every year,” he said. Ram said the local tours were first halted after the pandemic struck in 2020 and resumed subsequently, but only for Classes 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Government’s finance department has started the process for preparation of revised budget estimates for 2022-23 and budget estimates for 2023-24. It has asked all the departments concerned to submit revised budget estimates and budget estimates for the financial year on or before October 10.
According to officials, the pre-budget planning will start from the last week of October and the dates and time will be announced soon by the finance department. The finance department has also issued a proforma-based on which all the departments have to send the data and revised budget estimates. “The breakup of the classification of expenditure from 2017-18 onwards is under revenue and capital accounts only. Broad components have been classified – establishment and other committed expenditure, government scheme projects including autonomous bodies and centrally sponsored schemes,” said the department.