School education focus of Budget 2017: Here's everything that Modi govt may gift the Education Sector in the coming days

School education is likely to be the focus of Budget 2017, where allocation for the education sector is expected to rise by 10-12% this year, almost double of what it was last year.

It is being speculated that a major part of the increased allocation will be for improving education quality and outcome in schools.

Here's what you can expect for educations sector in the upcoming Budget 2017:

- Setting up of Global Research Interactive Network

This is for bringing foreign academic talent to the country and $3 billion dollar will be leveraged for investing in upgradation of the research infrastructure in the country to help spawn world-class universities.

- 20 world class universities
Prakash Javadekar recently said the guidelines which will be declared in the government policy very soon.

- Forming micro level Indian associations
This is to facilitate government communication with Indian students studying in countries such as the United Kingdom and to build public and private partnerships with Ministry of External Affairs for Indian students abroad.

- Diversion of central funds from flagship education schemes to new initiatives
The ministry is also exploring whether it can reduce the central government allocation to flagship education schemes such as the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Mid-day Meal scheme while increasing it for new initiatives focused on quality improvement and assessment. While the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan or SSA (drive for the universalization of education) and the midday school meal scheme will continue to get sizable allocations, the Union budget is likely to emphasize the quality of outcome in schools.

- Allocations to become performance-based
Allocations or at least part of the allocations, may become performance-based (with academic outcomes being a measure of performance).