Chandigarh, March 3 -- From an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven digital college to upgrading 250 excellence schools, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday proposed to set up a Rs.10 crore higher education quality and research excellence fund to upgrade higher education systems and research labs. In collaboration with the department of future and higher education department, the state will launch an autonomous AI and Digital College. It will be based on digital-first, borderless model where teaching, evaluation and personalised learning will be driven by AI-based systems. If the pilot project succeeds, 10 more such colleges will be set up in 2027-28, Saini said while presenting the 2026-27 Budget in the assembly. The CM proposed a 9.79% increase in the allocation for the elementary education department, raising it to Rs.10,855.48 crore. The secondary education department's allocation will rise by 11.98% (Rs.7,862.41 crore), while the higher education department was allocated Rs.4,197.38 crore, marking an increase of 6.06%. Referring to his earlier announcement of opening a Model Sanskriti School within every 10 km radius, Saini said that 25 such schools had already been opened. In 2026-27, 250 schools will be upgraded to CM (Excellence and Early English) CM (EEE) schools. "These schools will be affiliated to Haryana school education board, offering education through both Hindi and English medium in every class," he said and also announced to open Atal Tinkering Labs in 250 schools at a cost of Rs.25 crore in the coming financial year. Saini, who had introduced French in government schools, said that 60 teachers were given training of French language and that in 2026-27, 100 more teachers will be trained to teach German and Japanese languages. While 3,328 government high and senior secondary schools will get Rs.1 lakh per school for the development of playgrounds, 88,434 Bal Vatika-3 students studying in all 8,600 primary government schools will now receive free education, along with stationery, uniforms, and school bags at a cost of Rs.10 crore. Promising that by 2027-28 not a single student in any government school will have to sit on mats, Saini said that ICT labs in 1,065 government schools built around 15 years ago will be renovated at a cost of Rs.50 crore to strengthen technology-driven learning and industry-relevant skills. The CM proposed a Veer Bal Memorial Initiative scheme with an outlay of Rs.6 crore. Under the scheme, Rs.5 lakh will be provided to the family in case of accidental death of a student and Rs.3 lakh in case of disability. Saini proposed to set up four new government polytechnic institutes at Mau Lokri (Gurugram), Kheri Talwana (Mahendragarh), Naraingarh (Ambala) and Kawi (Panipat) at a cost of Rs.55 crore. He said that new machinery and laboratory equipment will be procured for all 38 government polytechnic institutes and five state institutes of engineering and technology at a cost of Rs.32 crore. In five government polytechnics, weekend and evening courses will be introduced for 10th and 12th pass citizens, enabling them to gain employable skills while continuing their jobs. Every district will have synthetic athletic track, Khelo India mini centre and 21 new sports stadiums will also come up. A talent search drive soon under Mission Olympics 2036 scheme will be conducted, according to the government....