Union Budget 2026 will be read less as rhetoric and more as reassurance: Can the state reduce the private burden families carry to make education work? Parents and students expect spending that strengthens classrooms—teachers, foundational learning, and a credible path towards 6% of GDP. They also look for digital access beyond fibre, advanced learning beyond metros, paid work pathways, and affordability through scholarships and safer loans, with counselling treated as core infrastructure.