A sum of Rs 312.90 crore (Rs 3.12 billion) has been earmarked in the Interim Budget for 2009-10 for setting up of 6,000 model schools at block level as benchmark of excellence.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his Independence Day address in 2007 had announced setting up of 6,000 new high quality schools, one in every block of the country.

The education sector as a whole received Rs 41,978.21 crore (Rs 419.78 billion) as against Rs 37,366.57 crore (Rs 373.66 billion) in the revised estimate of 2008-09 budget, showing a jump of Rs 4,611.64 crore (Rs 46.11 billion).

While the school education has received a total of Rs 28,799.21 crore (Rs 287.99 billion), the higher education has been allocated Rs 13,179 crore (Rs 131.79 billion) in the budget.

The Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrassas has been given Rs 45 crore (Rs 450 million) and the Scheme for Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutions has received Rs 4.50 crore (Rs 45 million).

A whopping Rs 1,143.46 crore (Rs 11.43 billion) has been earmarked in the Interim Budget for the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, a new scheme to give a boost to secondary education.

As a follow-up to the implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan leading to a massive increase in the number of students completing upper primary level, it has been felt necessary to meet the increased demand for access to secondary education.