Budget 2026 sharpens focus on Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas as school education gets fresh funding push. India’s Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (NV) two central schools systems have again been given new priorities in the Union Budget 2026-27 with increased funds being given to improve access to these schools, infrastructure, and day-to-day running in other parts of the country.Together, these institutions serve very different student populations; KVs largely cater to children of transferable central government employees, while NVs focus on academically talented students from rural areas, but the latest budget signals a common goal: Stabilising quality schooling through sustained public investment.

Kendriya Vidyalayas see steady rise in funding

Kendriya Vidyalaya experience gradual increase in finance. The government has allocated ₹10,129.41 crore to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) in 2026-27 compared to 9,503.84 crore in the 2025-26 budget estimates. This is a distinct positive direction of increase in funding, after actual spending of ₹8,727 crore in 2024-25.This budget includes the operation of Kendriya Vidyalayasall over the country, salaries, academics, and operational expenses.The allocation covers the running of Kendriya Vidyalayas nationwide, including salaries, academic expenses, and operational costs. KVS is a fully government-funded autonomous body established in 1965 to manage these schools, primarily to meet the educational needs of children whose parents are frequently transferred in central services.While the budget document does not spell out school-wise expansions, the increase indicates continued support for maintaining and scaling the KV network, which remains a backbone of urban and semi-urban public schooling.

Navodaya Vidyalayas receive higher support for rural education

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) which runs Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya have also been given a boost to their funds. NVS has been allocated 6,025 crore in 2026-27 compared to 5,750 crore in 2025-26 Budget Estimates. Comparatively, the 2024-25 spending was 5,370.79 crore.Started in 1986 with Navodaya Vidyalayas as a central scheme to offer quality residential education to rural talents, with one school in each district envisaged. NVS is an independent organisation that falls under the Ministry of Education.The increased allocation is an indication of the continued investment by the government in these fully residential schools, which tend to serve as life rafts to students in the remote and underserved areas.The higher allocation reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to these fully residential schools, which often act as academic lifelines for students from remote and underserved regions.

KVs and NVs within a larger school education budget

The increased funding for KVs and NVs forms part of a broader rise in expenditure by the Department of School Education and Literacy. For 2026-27, the department’s net budget (after recoveries) has been pegged at ₹83,562.26 crore, up from ₹70,567.14 crore in 2025-26 (Revised Estimates) Within this framework, autonomous bodies, including KVS and NVS, together account for ₹16,866.71 crore in 2026-27, compared with ₹15,907 crore in the previous year’s Budget Estimates, underlining the central role these institutions continue to play in India’s public education system

What this means for schools on the ground

While the budget papers focus on financial provisioning rather than programme-level outcomes, the incremental rise for both KVs and NVs suggests priority is being given to sustaining existing schools, meeting staff costs, and supporting essential academic and residential facilities.For Kendriya Vidyalayas, this helps maintain continuity for students who move cities due to parental transfers. For Navodaya Vidyalayas, it strengthens a model that identifies talent early and provides free, residential schooling to rural learners.At a time when school systems are grappling with enrolment pressures and rising operational costs, the 2026-27 allocations point to a steady, if cautious, approach—reinforcing established institutions rather than launching sweeping new schemes.In budget terms, KVs and NVs remain pillars of India’s centrally funded school education, and this year’s numbers make clear that the government intends to keep them that way.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS): Budget allocation trend (₹ crore)

KVS funding has risen steadily over the past two years, crossing the ₹10,000 crore mark in Budget 2026–27

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS): Budget allocation trend (₹ crore)