Centre Pressures States to Fast-Track PM SHRI Scheme Amidst Political Shifts

Following electoral changes in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the Centre is urging swift adoption of the PM SHRI scheme to align state schools with NEP 2020. The Ministry of Education is set to communicate with state officials to accelerate the signing of the necessary Memorandum of Understanding.

The Ministry of Education is set to contact the Chief Secretaries of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, requesting prompt signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme. The move comes after recent electoral results that shifted the political dynamics.

These changes have rekindled the Centre's optimism for implementing key educational initiatives under the National Education Policy 2020. Senior officials stated that letters would be dispatched imminently to encourage rapid adoption of the PM SHRI scheme. This initiative seeks to establish selected schools as model institutions aligning with NEP 2020.

In the past, the TMC-led and DMK-led governments of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu resisted joining the centrally sponsored scheme. However, the recent electoral developments might ease PM SHRI’s execution in these states. The Centre emphasizes signing the MoU as crucial for accessing education funds, against opposition parties’ claims of conditional educational grants.