West Bengal Embraces PM SHRI Schools Initiative

West Bengal has joined the PM SHRI Schools initiative after the new BJP government took charge, ending previous resistance due to funding disputes. The program, launched in 2022, aims to upgrade government schools as model institutions for the NEP 2020. An MoU was signed to formalize the collaboration.

West Bengal is set to adopt the PM SHRI Schools initiative following a change in state administration. Previously, the Mamata Banerjee-led government resisted the program due to state autonomy concerns and funding disputes with the center.

The initiative, launched on September 7, 2022, by the central government, aims to transform over 14,500 government schools across India into model institutions showcasing the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

This shift in West Bengal's stance comes after the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Suvendhu Adikari opted to embrace the program. A memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of key officials from both state and central education departments to bring this initiative into action.