Personal Story Behind Budget's Focus on Girls' Hostels in STEM and Medical Education
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shared a deeply personal anecdote that directly influenced the government's budgetary allocation for girls' hostels in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and medical colleges. During an unprecedented post-budget interaction with approximately 30 college students, she recounted a recent meeting that left a lasting impact on her policy decisions.
A Father's Dilemma That Shaped Policy
"I met a father recently who said his daughter qualified for a premier institute, but he couldn't send her because he couldn't afford a safe place for her to stay nearby," Sitharaman revealed. "That stayed with me." This emotional encounter became the catalyst for her determination to address the accommodation challenges faced by female students pursuing higher education in specialized fields.
The finance minister emphasized that "a girl's merit should never be defeated by the lack of a hostel room." She explained how this realization translated into concrete budgetary action: "That is why this budget makes it a mission to have a hostel in every district — to ensure that your 'merit' has a home." This initiative underscores the crucial link between educational infrastructure and equal opportunity for all students, regardless of their geographical or economic background.
Direct Engagement with Students Instead of Traditional Media
In a departure from conventional post-budget practices, Sitharaman's team reached out to universities to organize direct interactions with students rather than heading to television studios and newsrooms. The session took place at Kartavya Bhawan-1, where the finance minister engaged with students who had earlier witnessed the budget presentation from the Lok Sabha Gallery.
"I would like to know from you what the experience of sitting in Parliament and listening to a Budget was like," Sitharaman asked the assembled group. Before the interaction, these students visited the finance ministry office, where senior officials provided them with insights into policy formulation processes and institutional mechanisms.
Budget as Constitutional Accountability and Public Trust
Fielding questions about both the budget and her personal journey as finance minister, Sitharaman described budget presentation as an act of "constitutional accountability." She emphasized the humility required when making policy choices that affect nearly 1.4 billion people, outlining four guiding pillars for the budgetary exercise:
- The poor
- Youth
- Farmers
- Women
When a student inquired about handling the pressure of managing high-stakes financial numbers, Sitharaman reframed the entire budgeting process beyond mere spreadsheets. "The budget is not just about numbers; it is about the trust of the people," she asserted. "When I sit to finalise the speech, I don't see just figures on a paper; I see the face of the common citizen and the aspirations of the Indian youth."
Creating Level Playing Fields Through Policy
Sitharaman elaborated on her vision of equality, stating that "true equality is not just about handouts; it's about creating a level-playing field where a student from a remote village has the same digital and educational access as one in a metro." She characterized the budget as "a sacred document of government's intent" and praised the students' participation as witnessing "democracy in its most transparent form."
The finance minister also spoke about the traditional Halwa Ceremony, describing it as the transitional moment when her team moves from policymaking into a "lock-in" phase. During this period, they become a close-knit family working in isolation to finalize budget documents for the nation, symbolizing the dedication and secrecy required in the final stages of budget preparation.
This innovative approach to student engagement and the personal story behind policy decisions highlights the government's commitment to making education more accessible and equitable, particularly for female students pursuing careers in STEM and medical fields across India.
