The Haryana government unveiled a transformative ₹1.2 lakh crore budget on March 18, 2025, prioritizing research, innovation, and gender equity in higher education. With ₹20 crore allocated to the pioneering Haryana State Research Fund (HSRF) and ₹50 crore for the Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme, the state aims to become India’s “Silicon Valley of STEM.”
Breaking Down the Blueprint
- Model Sanskriti Colleges: One per district, offering IoT labs, industry partnerships, and global faculty exchanges.
- HSRF: Seed grants for AI, renewable energy, and agrarian tech research; 30% funds reserved for women-led projects.
- Kalpana Chawla Initiative: Annual ₹1 lakh scholarships for 5,000 girls pursuing engineering and sciences, plus mentorship via ISRO scientists.
MD University VC Prof. Rajbir Singh praised the NEP 2020 alignment: “This bridges academia and industry. Our students will design solutions, not just theories.”
Gender Inclusivity: Beyond Tokenism
Women constitute 42% of Haryana’s STEM enrollments but only 14% of the workforce. The budget addresses this gap via:
- Saksham Hostels: Safe accommodations for rural female students.
- STEM Incubators: Startup grants up to ₹10 lakh for women entrepreneurs.
Challenges: Execution Over Announcements
While the vision is lauded, faculty unions demand clarity on fund disbursal. “Without transparent committees, red tape could stifle innovation,” warned Kurukshetra University’s Dr. Anjali Mehta.
For Haryana’s youth, this budget isn’t just numbers – it’s a ladder to global relevance.