Analysis Of Budgeted Expenditure Of Education And Its Impact On Literacy Rate In Sikkim State

Abstract

A country with a higher percentage of literacy often performs better in terms of employment prospects, social progress, and the living standards of its citizens. Education is crucial for socio-economic progress, enhancing productivity and driving significant social and economic growth. Acknowledging its importance, the state government dedicates a substantial portion of its budget to education, allocating 20% for this purpose, as reported in the Education Department's Annual Report for 2020-21, Government of Sikkim. The purpose of this study is to examine on budgeted expenditure of education and its impact on literacy rate in Sikkim state. Thus, this research combines descriptive and inferential methods to provide an in-depth analysis. The state has a total of 1289 schools, according to data from the Department of School Education and Literacy, which is part of the Ministry of Education, Government of India (2018–19).  The literacy rates in Sikkim and India offers valuable insights into developmental trends. The results highlights that there is a statistically significant and positive linear relationship between literacy rate and budgeted expenditure. However, investing in infrastructure, teacher training, and curriculum development can substantially improve literacy rates and promote equal opportunities throughout the diverse regions of the state.