The Union Budget was announced today, and it brought a surprisingly big boost for creatives and digital storytellers. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government plans to establish AVGC Content Creator Labs for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges across India.
She also unveiled several initiatives to strengthen India’s creative and design industries, highlighting the rapid growth of the AVGC sector, which is projected to need two million professionals by 2030.
For the first time, the Budget speech referenced content creators and comic books, a long-overlooked part of India’s creative economy. She also announced plans to set up another National Institute of Design, as a renewed push for creative and design education.
These labs, supported by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, will be designed to foster creativity, digital storytelling, and advanced media skills among students, helping build a future-ready workforce for rapidly expanding sectors.
“India's animation, visual effects, gaming and comics, AVCG, is a growing industry, projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVCG content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools all over the country; and 500 in colleges,” Sitharaman said.
Sitharaman also pointed out a shortage of trained professionals in the design industry and proposed the establishment of a new National Institute of Design in eastern India through the Challenge Route to address this gap. The institute is expected to strengthen design education, foster innovation, and promote skill development in the region, creating more opportunities for aspiring design professionals.
“The Indian design industry is expanding rapidly and yet there is a shortage of Indian designers. I propose to establish, through Challenge Route, a new National Institute of Design to boost design education and development…," the Union Minister added.