Kerala Government Agrees to Implement PM SHRI Scheme in State Schools

The Kerala State Government decided to implement the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme across its state-run school system. The decision marks a major policy shift, as the state government had previously raised objections against specific conditionality terms attached to the central scheme before opting to sign the official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Education.

The PM SHRI scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme designed to upgrade existing government schools into exemplar institutions showcasing the qualitative objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Several states initially delayed implementation due to concerns over fund-sharing patterns and curriculum alignment, but most have gradually onboarded to access dedicated infrastructure grants.

Under the PM SHRI framework, over 14,500 schools across India are being upgraded with modern infrastructure, green practices, digital classrooms, experiential learning pedagogies, and STEM labs. The scheme operates with a total project cost of ₹27,360 crore over a five-year period from 2022-23 to 2026-27, with the central share set at ₹18,128 crore.

Kerala's onboarding ensures full access to central educational development funds and standardized infrastructure upgrades across primary and secondary schools. This update is highly relevant for UPSC Mains GS Paper II (Education Policies, Center-State Relations) and GS Paper III, as well as SSC and Banking General Awareness questions on major government schemes.