Budget 2026: BITS Pilani VC calls for scaling up HEIs to prevent Indian students from going abroad

Ahead of the Union Budget 2026, V Ramgopal Rao, group vice-chancellor of BITS Pilani, said the education budget must prioritise strengthening and scaling up of India’s higher education institutions to reduce the steady outflow of talented students to overseas universities.

In his budget expectations, Rao said scaling up of India’s higher education institutions must go beyond capacity expansion. “This is not merely about increasing capacity but about building depth and quality at scale. World class teaching, modern research infrastructure, interdisciplinary programmes, and globally competitive faculty must be available within India,” he said.

He said when universities offer credible pathways for advanced learning, research, and entrepreneurship, students will choose to stay back, and global talent will also increasingly choose to come to India.

Rao, former director of IIT Delhi, also underlined the need for greater autonomy and flexibility for high-performing institutions, saying this is essential to enable them to retain and build national talent.

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Need for translational research

Highlighting the importance of translational research, he said the budget should support dedicated schemes and purpose built institutions that bridge academia and industry.

“India requires institutional mechanisms that can take ideas from the laboratory through validation, prototyping, and scale up, while working closely with industry and startups,” he said.

Such institutions, Rao added, must combine scientific depth, engineering capability, and commercial orientation, supported by patient capital and clear governance structures.

“Well-designed translational research frameworks can de-risk early stage innovation, accelerate industry adoption, and ensure that publicly funded research leads to tangible economic and societal outcomes,” he said.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth Budget on Sunday, February 1. In 2025-26, the education sector was allocated Rs 1,28,650.05 crore, a 6.65% increase over the previous year. Allocation for higher education increased from Rs 46,482.35 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 50,077.95 crore in 2025-26, marking a significant 7.74% rise.