After years of staying outside the National Education Policy 2020, Kerala has signed an MoU to implement the Central government’s PM SHRI or PM Schools for Rising India scheme. The move marks a major policy shift for the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government, which had earlier criticised the policy for centralising control over education.
The decision reflects a practical approach to protect state interests during a difficult financial phase. By joining the scheme, Kerala is expected to unlock long-pending central funds and direct them toward improving public education.
Launched in 2022, PM SHRI aims to develop fourteen thousand five hundred model schools that showcase the goals of NEP 2020. The plan focuses on modern infrastructure, flexible learning, technology, and skill-based education. With Kerala now part of it, thirty-four states and Union Territories are included.
Education has always been central to Kerala’s progress. The state’s public school system has stood for equity, inclusion, and quality. These values remain unchanged even as it participates in a national programme. Education Minister V Sivankutty has said the decision is not an ideological shift but a step to strengthen schools and protect the interests of students.
The financial situation played a key role. Funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme worth more than eleven hundred crore rupees had been delayed because Kerala had not joined PM SHRI. This had affected programmes such as free uniforms, textbooks, scholarships, and support for children with special needs. With the new agreement, the state will receive around fourteen hundred seventy-six crore rupees until 2027, along with an additional nine hundred seventy-one crore under Samagra Shiksha.
At the same time, Kerala has ensured flexibility to align its curriculum with NEP while keeping control over its content. Sivankutty pointed out that Kerala had already introduced many reforms such as teacher training, pre-primary education, and full enrollment long before NEP.
Kerala’s entry into PM SHRI shows a balanced path forward. The state continues to uphold its progressive education values while engaging with a national initiative that brings fresh opportunities and resources for its schools.
