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Row over PM-SHRI in Kerala: What is the school education scheme, why some states have opposed it

The Centre has linked the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to the implementation of PM-SHRI. Here's what the scheme is, and why it has run into opposition.

A file picture of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and PM Modi. The Opposition has slammed the LDF government’s decision to sign the MoU, alleging a “link” between the CPI(M) and the BJP. (Photo: ANI)

The Centre’s PM-SHRI schools scheme is back in the limelight, this time, for political wrangling in Kerala. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state has agreed to implement the scheme, retreating from what was its vehement refusal so far to allow state schools to be labelled as ‘PM-SHRI’ schools.

This has drawn fire not only from the opposition Congress, but also from within the LDF, with the CPI opposing the decision on the grounds that it wasn’t consulted, and that the Left’s stand so far was to oppose the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The state, meanwhile, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the PM-SHRI scheme.

What is the PM-SHRI scheme?

The Centre’s PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme was approved in 2022. It seeks to develop 14,500 schools to “showcase” aspects of the NEP 2020. These schools are to be “exemplars” for other schools in their region. The scheme is for existing elementary, secondary, and senior secondary schools run by the central government and state and local governments across the country.

So far, 13,070 schools have been selected as PM-SHRI schools. Of them, 1,533 schools are Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, which are managed by the Centre.

A ‘PM-SHRI’ school needs to implement NEP recommendations. The Education Ministry has laid down a set of guidelines — teaching and learning will have to involve innovative methods, like art-based and toy-based learning; vocational education is to be imparted and skill labs to be set up; schools are to ensure that children in younger classes achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills; they are to provide adequate infrastructure and facilities, including labs and computers; testing and assessments will focus on measuring the student’s competencies and not rote learning. These schools are to ensure zero dropouts, and will have to ensure improvement in learning outcomes.

For curriculum, PM-SHRI schools are to follow either the National Curriculum Framework or the State Curriculum Framework developed by the state on the basis of the NEP.

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The Ministry has developed a School Quality Assessment Framework, a checklist of sorts that can help schools track their “transformation” under the scheme. The funds that a school receives depends on its score on this assessment framework.

The scheme is funded by the Centre and states in a 60:40 ratio.

Which states are implementing the PM-SHRI scheme?

With Kerala agreeing to implement it, only Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are currently holding out.

After the Education Ministry stopped releasing funds to Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, AAP-ruled Punjab and Delhi relented last year and agreed to implement PM-SHRI.

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West Bengal has opposed the scheme on the grounds that ‘PM-SHRI’ will have to be pre-fixed to the name of the school, despite the state having to bear part of the cost.

In March last year, Kerala had expressed willingness to implement the PM-SHRI scheme, but later did not sign the MoU on the grounds that the MoU specifies that the state will implement all provisions of the NEP “in entirety”. DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu has opposed the PM-SHRI scheme on similar grounds, maintaining that it does not want to implement the NEP in its entirety.

In Kerala, Opposition leader VD Satheesan has slammed the LDF government’s decision to sign the MoU, alleging a “link” between the CPI(M) and the BJP, and asking the Chief Minister to reveal “what pressure forced this U-turn”.

Congress-ruled States, including Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, have, however, implemented the scheme.

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What are the conditions under which the scheme is implemented?

The Centre has linked the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to the implementation of PM-SHRI. Samagra Shiksha is also funded by the Centre and States in a 60:40 ratio. Samagra Shiksha funds support implementation of the Right to Education Act, provides uniforms and textbooks to students in government schools, supports differently abled children, and covers reimbursement provided to private schools for admissions under the economically weaker section category. States that refused to implement PM-SHRI have not received funds under Samagra Shiksha.

Kerala has received no funds from the Centre for Samagra Shiksha in 2024-25 and 2025-26 so far, and received only part of its allocation for 2023-24. This amounts to around Rs 1,150 crore for Samagra Shiksha.

Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty told The Indian Express in May this year that Kerala has utilised the state share of Samagra Shiksha funds for essential expenditure like RTE entitlements, textbooks, and salaries. “But there are some commitments, like funding for scholarships for children with special needs, uniforms, and school grants that are pending,” he said.

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On the decision to sign the MoU, Sivankutty has, this week, pointed to the need for funds under Samagra Shiksha.

The MoU that the State must sign with the Centre to implement PM-SHRI specifies that the State implement the NEP in its entirety.

“We will only implement those aspects of the NEP that the State government can implement,” Sivankutty said at a press conference this week, maintaining that the state will decide curriculum and textbooks in schools.