India, Jan. 31 -- Just before the Union Budget for FY 2026-27 is tabled in Parliament on February 1, the Economic Survey 2025-26 offers a timely assessment of India's progress in education and health. Read alongside recent trends in public spending on children, it provides an opportunity to reflect on how fiscal priorities can be more closely aligned with the evolving needs of India's young population.

Children and adolescents continue to form a substantial share of India's demographic profile. Nearly 27 per cent of the population falls within the age group of 3 to 18 years, a proportion that will remain significant-above 20 per cent-for the next two decades. This projection places children at the centre of India's long-term developmenta...