India, Jan. 27 -- As the countdown to the Union Budget 2026-27 begins, the Indian education sector finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. No longer viewed as merely a "social sector" expense, education is increasingly being recognised as the primary engine for India's ambitious "Viksit Bharat" vision.

With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 entering its sixth year of implementation, the industry's focus has shifted from expanding access to ensuring high-impact outcomes through research, design, and deep industry integration.

The demand for a more robust research ecosystem has never been louder. While the 2025 Budget introduced the National Research Foundation (ANRF) and increased fellowships under PMRF 2.0, academia is calling for ...