Thiruvananthapuram: The Centre has urged the Kerala government to take an early decision on implementing the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, General Education Minister N Samsudheen said on Friday. The state received a letter from the Union Education Secretary to the Chief Secretary “two or three days ago”, the minister told reporters.
Decision to be taken by top leadership
Samsudheen emphasised that the matter will be taken up within the government and that the final position would be announced by the Chief Minister after consultations with the United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership. He said there are still differing views within the state about the scheme and that the government’s reservations remain.
“I cannot make a statement on my own. The Chief Minister, along with our UDF leadership, will decide, and the CM will make the announcement,”
The minister said the letter from the Union Education Secretary requests a timely decision so that follow-up measures and remaining schemes can move forward. He added that the government would discuss the contents of the communication before arriving at a definitive position.
Background and political context
The PM SHRI scheme, launched by the Union government, aims to upgrade selected schools across the country. The scheme was earlier the subject of political contestation in Kerala. The previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Union government to implement PM SHRI, but the arrangement was subsequently kept in abeyance amid criticism and protests led by opposition parties.
After the UDF came to power in Kerala, the new administration constituted a Cabinet subcommittee to examine whether the state should proceed with the scheme or withdraw from the MoU. Samsudheen reiterated that those internal reviews and the subcommittee’s findings will inform the state’s decision.
Scheme scope and numbers
Officials have said the PM SHRI scheme is designed to upgrade 14,500 schools nationwide and is expected to benefit around 1.8 million students. Below is a quick summary of the figures cited in central documentation:
| Aspect | Figures |
|---|---|
| Schools covered (national) | 14,500 |
| Estimated students to benefit | 1.8 million |
What Kerala is weighing
From the statements given so far, Kerala’s evaluation appears to revolve around:
- Policy content and local applicability of the PM SHRI framework;
- Terms of the MoU signed earlier by the previous government and implications for state autonomy in school administration;
- Financial, administrative and curricular changes proposed under the scheme and their compatibility with existing state education priorities.
Samsudheen said that reservations voiced by the UDF prior to the state election continue to be considered. He stressed that a detailed examination of the scheme’s provisions is necessary before Kerala commits to implementation.
Next steps and timeline
The minister did not provide a specific deadline for the state decision. He said the government will first discuss the Union’s communication internally and then the Chief Minister will make the formal announcement after consulting UDF leaders.
Implementing the scheme or formally withdrawing from the MoU would have administrative consequences: if Kerala opts in, district and school-level planning will need to be aligned with central guidelines; if the state decides against it, the Centre may pursue alternate modalities for the schools proposed under PM SHRI.
What stakeholders are watching
Teachers’ organisations, school managements and parent bodies in Kerala have followed the PM SHRI debate closely. Civil society groups in the state have previously raised concerns about centralisation of curricula and the impact of centrally driven reforms on state-run institutions. Political parties across the spectrum have used the issue to articulate broader positions on federalism in education.
For now, the immediate development is the Union’s written request to the Chief Secretary and the state’s acknowledgment that a decision must be taken soon. Observers will watch for the Cabinet subcommittee’s recommendations and any statement from Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan to learn Kerala’s official stance.
Thomas Varghese is the AI Kerala Correspondent in Thiruvananthapuram.
