In October 2025, the Kerala Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Government (CG) to join the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme, a national initiative aimed at improving the quality of education in government schools.
- The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Kerala’s General Education Secretary K Vasuki and officials from the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.
- It plans to secure an estimated Rs. 1,446 crore (cr) for the modernisation of government schools in the State. Each selected school will receive an annual average assistance of Rs 1 crore for five years.
Exam Hints:
- What? Kerala Government joined PM SHRI
- PM SHRI launch: September 2022
- Schools target: 14,500 PM SHRI Schools
- Based on: 6 pillars of NEP 2020
- Duration: 2022-23 to 2026-27
- Cost: Rs.27360 cr
- Funding Pattern: 60:40, 90:10 and 100%
About PM-SHRI Scheme
Launched on: The PM SHRI scheme was launched on 7th September, 2022.
Aim: It aims to qualitatively strengthen the existing schools and showcase the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 and make them exemplar schools over a period of time.
School target: The PM SHRI scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) launched with an objective to establish over 14,500 PM SHRI Schools, overseen by the CG, State/Union Territory Government, local bodies, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
Six Pillars: The PM SHRI schools’ scheme is based on development of sub-domains of six major pillars derived from NEP 2020:
- Pillar 1- Access Infrastructure – Adequacy, Functionality, Aesthetics and Safety
- Pillar 2- Human Resources and School Leadership
- Pillar 3- Management, Monitoring and Governance
- Pillar 4- Beneficiary Satisfaction
- Pillar 5- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
- Pillar 6- Inclusive Practices and Gender Equity
Duration: The duration of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the states/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools.
Total Cost: The total cost of the project will be Rs. 27360 cr spread over a period of 5 years.
Funding Pattern: The funding pattern is 60:40 between CG and SG and UTs with legislature (except Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)).
- The sharing pattern is 90:10 for North Eastern (NE) and Himalayan States and UT of J&K and 100% for the UTs without legislature.
About Kerala:
Chief Minister (CM) – Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor – Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary and Kurinjimala Sanctuary
Sea Port – Kochi Port
