The Punjab government will implement the PM SHRI scheme a year after the state’s AAP administration opted out of the centrally-sponsored initiative.

The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme aims to upgrade schools as model institutions, reflecting the National Education Policy, 2020.

This decision emerged after Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary informed the Lok Sabha on Monday, in response to a question by Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

“On repeated requests from the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Punjab communicated on July 26 that it would implement PM SHRI,” he stated in a written reply. “Therefore, there is no logjam between the central and Punjab governments over PM SHRI.”

Badal had inquired whether the conflict between the central government and the Punjab government over PM SHRI would negatively impact education in the state. She also questioned if Punjab’s opting out of schemes like PM SHRI was depriving its citizens of essential school upgrades per the National Education Policy, 2020.

The AAP government opted out of PM SHRI on July 18 last year, preferring to continue its Schools of Eminence project, which aimed to revamp 117 schools for classes 9 to 12. This decision came despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union education ministry for the scheme in October 2022.

Following Punjab’s withdrawal, the Centre halted the release of Rs 550 crore in grants under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, a flagship school education program.

PM SHRI aims to upgrade 14,500 schools over five years, with a budget exceeding Rs 27,000 crore, shared in a 60:40 ratio between the Centre and the states. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme on September 7, 2022, to showcase the National Education Policy, 2020, and serve as exemplary schools offering leadership to neighboring institutions.

In Punjab, 241 government schools were selected for the scheme. Nationwide, 34 states and Union Territories, as well as the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and the Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan, signed the MoU for PM SHRI.

Also read: Centre raises concern about 5 states not signing PM SHRI School MoU