Seeking enhanced outlay for education in the coming Budget, the ASSOCHAM has sent a communication to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, also making out a case for relief to higher education under Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"The Union Budget 2018 would be the first after imposition of GST. A time has come for correcting the distortions which were earlier brought in by repeated amendments in the Service Tax for Education Sector. The last amendment brought in March 2017, denying tax relief for listed services for higher educational institutions; needs to be immediately withdrawn and end the untenable discrimination against higher education institutions, '' the Chamber said in a letter to the Finance Minister by its Secretary General Mr D S Rawat.

Besides, tax exemption on construction, maintenance and repair of buildings of educational institutions be granted, it said.

The chamber said that no reason was advanced for the sudden disruption in the age old parity of higher educational institutions, universities, research institutions all with higher secondary schools etc in the matter of limited tax exemption made available to primary school upward to higher secondary level.

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