Education Ministry Encourages Schools to Use UPI for a Digital Future

New Delhi, October 11, 2025 In a major step toward building a modern and digitally empowered education system, the Ministry of Education has urged schools across all States and Union Territories to adopt the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for fee collection. This move is part of the government’s broader effort to promote digital transformation and improve ease of schooling for students and parents alike. According to an official communication sent to States, UTs, and key educational bodies including NCERT, CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), the Ministry’s Department of School Education and Literacy has recommended the use of digital payment platforms such as UPI, mobile wallets, and net banking. The initiative is aimed at streamlining administrative operations, making school payments faster, safer, and more convenient. By encouraging digital payments, the Ministry hopes to reduce reliance on cash transactions, which often create unnecessary delays and manual errors. With UPI and similar platforms, parents can now pay admission and examination fees remotely from their homes, without having to visit schools in person. This not only saves time but also increases transparency in financial transactions, ensuring accountability in how schools handle funds. The initiative also supports the government’s larger vision of promoting ‘Ease of Living and Ease of Schooling.’ By integrating digital tools into everyday processes, schools are expected to become more efficient and accessible. The use of digital payments will also familiarize students, teachers, and parents with financial technology, encouraging a broader culture of financial literacy and digital confidence. Officials from the Ministry have emphasized that the shift from cash to digital payments is not just an administrative reform but a cultural transformation within the education sector. It represents a move toward a more transparent, efficient, and technology-driven ecosystem that aligns with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’—a developed India driven by digital empowerment and citizen-centric governance. The Ministry has also encouraged States and Union Territories to establish mechanisms that ensure secure, seamless, and transparent digital transactions within school systems. These measures include proper verification processes, awareness programs for parents and teachers, and technical support to help institutions make a smooth transition to digital payment systems. Through this initiative, the Ministry of Education aims to make digital payments an integral part of India’s school infrastructure. As more schools adopt UPI and other online payment methods, the education sector is expected to witness significant improvement in operational efficiency and service delivery. By promoting this change, the Ministry is taking another step toward building an education ecosystem that not only embraces technology but also prepares future generations to thrive in a digital economy—marking a key milestone on the nation’s journey toward a smarter, more connected, and inclusive India. Education Ministry Promotes UPI for Smarter Schools The Ministry of Education has urged schools across India to adopt UPI for collecting admission and examination fees, marking a major push toward digital transformation. This move aims to make payments faster, safer, and more convenient for parents while reducing cash handling and improving transparency. By promoting platforms like UPI, mobile wallets, and net banking, the initiative supports the government’s vision of a digitally empowered education system and a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. The step also encourages financial literacy and brings schools closer to a modern, efficient, and technology-driven future for students and families.