Indian students want education and health prioritised: What MOTN survey says

The latest India Today-CVoter MOTN survey found 23 per cent of respondents want education and healthcare prioritised. The finding comes as the government expands spending, institutions and reforms across the education sector.The priority is already visible in its spending, institution-building and policy reforms (Image: pexels.com)Improving education and healthcare has emerged as the top priority respondents want the government to focus on, according to the latest India Today-CVoter MOTN survey, with 23 per cent choosing the two sectors.The latest finding comes at a time when the government is already pursuing a broad education push — through higher budgetary allocations, expansion of IITs, AIIMS and medical colleges, implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), online education, skill-based learning and the entry of foreign universities into India.The Mood of the Nation (MOTN) is a bi-annual survey that's been commissioned by the India Today Group for around two decades now. The August 2026 edition was conducted by CVoter with a sample of 25,184 people directly surveyed between July 1 and August 25. Another set of 91,795 interviews conducted over the last six months as part of CVoter's regular tracking were also used to formulate the findings of the August Mood of the Nation 2026.The MOTN survey asked: “Which should be the government’s higher priority at present?” While 23 per cent chose improving education and healthcare, 21 per cent said infrastructure and capital expenditure should receive greater priority. Another 18 per cent said all areas should receive equal priority, while 16 per cent chose welfare and direct support to households.Reducing taxes was the priority for 8 per cent, improving social harmony for 4 per cent, while 11 per cent did not know or did not respond. Education & healthcare top Indians' priority list: MOTN survey The finding presents an interesting contrast: people want education and healthcare prioritised, while the government is already making significant investments and policy interventions in education.EDUCATION ALLOCATION RISESThe Union Budget 2026-27 allocated Rs 1,39,289.48 crore to the Ministry of Education, an 8.27 per cent increase over the 2025-26 Budget Estimates.The Budget also proposed five university townships near major industrial and logistics corridors, bringing universities, colleges, research institutions and skill centres together.It also announced one girls' hostel in every district, aimed at improving access to higher education, particularly for women and STEM students.IITS, AIIMS AND MEDICAL COLLEGES EXPANSIONIndia now has 23 IITs, compared with 16 in 2014. The government has also approved expansion of five newer IITs — Tirupati, Palakkad, Bhilai, Jammu and Dharwad — at a total outlay of Rs 11,828.79 crore, creating capacity for another 6,500 students.Since 2014, the government says seven new IITs, eight IIMs, 16 IIITs, two IISERs, one NIT and 12 new AIIMS have been established.On the medical education side, the government says there are now 23 AIIMS operational or approved, while more than 2,045 medical colleges across allopathic, dental and AYUSH streams had been opened by March 31, 2026. It has also announced 157 new nursing colleges alongside new medical colleges.The number of AIIMS has risen from seven to 23 since 2014, while IITs have increased from 16 to 23.NEP CHANGES HOW STUDENTS LEARNThe government's education push is also about changing the way students learn.The National Education Policy 2020 focuses on multidisciplinary and flexible education, technology-enabled learning and stronger links between education, skills and employment.Its implementation includes the National Credit Framework, Academic Bank of Credits, multiple entry and exit options, simultaneous pursuit of two academic programmes, internships, apprenticeships and revised online and distance-learning regulations.At school level, initiatives include PM SHRI, NIPUN Bharat, PM e-VIDYA, DIKSHA, teacher training and the National Digital Education Architecture.ONLINE EDUCATION WIDENS ACCESSOnline and distance education is another major part of the expansion.The Education Ministry says 126 higher education institutions offer around 802 online programmes, while 121 institutions offer around 1,699 Open and Distance Learning programmes.Platforms including SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha, DIKSHA and PM e-VIDYA are being used to expand access, particularly for students who cannot easily relocate for conventional education.FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES ENTER INDIAIndia is also opening its higher education sector to foreign universities.The University of Southampton has established a campus in Gurugram, while the University of Liverpool received approval for a Bengaluru campus. The government has also given approval to the University of Bristol, University of York and University of New South Wales to establish campuses in India.As of August 2026, the UGC had issued 16 Letters of Intent to 15 foreign higher education institutions from Australia, Italy, the UK and the US.Four institutions — University of York, University of Bristol, University of Aberdeen and Illinois Institute of Technology — had received approval to begin operations in Mumbai.The move is part of NEP's internationalisation vision and could give Indian students access to international degrees without necessarily leaving the country.EDUCATION GETS A SKILLING PUSHThe government is also trying to make education more closely linked to jobs.Under NEP, skill education has been integrated from Classes 6 to 12. Students in Classes 6 to 8 get exposure to pre-vocational education, bagless days and experiential learning, while Classes 9 to 12 can take skill courses aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework.Higher education initiatives include community colleges, BVoc programmes, internships, apprenticeships and industry-linked learning.The 2026-27 Budget also proposed initiatives in emerging areas, including AVGC content creator labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges.MOHAN BHAGWAT AND THE 6% EDUCATION TARGETYet the MOTN finding also raises a larger question: is India spending enough on education?RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently said India would soon achieve the long-standing goal of allocating 6 per cent of GDP to education. He backed the 6 per cent target and said education should not be treated merely as a commercial enterprise.The 6 per cent target has been part of India's education policy debate for decades. While the government's education allocation has risen in absolute terms, the larger question of spending 6 per cent of GDP on education remains.The latest MOTN survey offers a snapshot of what Indians expect from the government: 23 per cent want improving education and healthcare to receive priority, making the combined category the most preferred option in the survey.On education, however, the government is already pursuing a wide-ranging push — Rs 1.39 lakh crore allocated to education, more IITs and AIIMS, expanded medical education, NEP reforms, online programmes, foreign university campuses and greater emphasis on skills.The question now is whether this policy and investment push can translate into better learning outcomes, wider access, affordable higher education and stronger employment opportunities.In other words, the MOTN survey says education should be a priority. The government's response is that the priority is already visible in its spending, institution-building and policy reforms. The real test will be the outcomes students see on the ground.- EndsPublished By: Mridusmita DekaPublished On: Aug 27, 2026 19:09 IST