The PRESS Pad

11.55% Increase Over FY 2025–26 as 53 Ministries and 5 UTs Report Gender Budget Allocations The Union Budget 2026–27 , presented in Parliament on 1st February 2026  by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman , witnessed a significant rise in the Gender Budget (GB)  allocation. An allocation of ₹5.01 lakh crore  has been reported for the welfare of women and girls in the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) of FY 2026–27. This marks an 11.55% increase

Despite progressive reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, gender disparities in education persist due to social norms, dropout rates, and infrastructure gaps. This model answer evaluates NEP’s gender inclusion measures, identifies key implementation challenges, and suggests ways forward—crucial for GS Paper 1 and Essay preparation.