In a significant reversal of its earlier stance, the Kerala government has decided to join the PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) scheme — a central initiative aimed at upgrading select schools across the country.

Announcing the decision, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty said the state could no longer afford to forgo its due share of central funds, stressing that the move was purely pragmatic. “Every citizen deserves central funds. There is no reason for Kerala to stay away from it,” Sivankutty said in a TV interview.

He revealed that ₹1,466 crore in central funds remain pending for various educational programmes in the state, adding that these funds are essential to sustain educational reforms and pay salaries of over 7,000 teachers.

However, the minister maintained that Kerala would not deviate from its own education policy, clarifying that the alignment with the Centre’s scheme was “only a practical decision” to secure financial support. “We will not backtrack from the state’s educational policy,” Sivankutty asserted, citing how Kerala had earlier produced alternative textbooks to counter alleged distortions in NCERT materials.

Rifts within LDF surface

The announcement sparked unease within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), particularly its ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI), which has long opposed the National Education Policy (NEP) that underpins the PM SHRI scheme.

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said his party was unaware of any such decision and reiterated opposition to what he called an “RSS-driven agenda of communalisation and commercialisation.” Revenue Minister K Rajan, also from the CPI, confirmed that the cabinet had not formally discussed or approved joining the scheme.

“It’s a matter that requires consultation,” Rajan said, adding that the state “won’t kneel before central pressure.”

BJP welcomes ‘late realisation’

The BJP was quick to claim victory, with state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar describing Kerala’s decision as “wisdom that came too late.”

“For two years, the CPI(M)-led government opposed a transformative education scheme for political reasons,” Chandrasekhar said, accusing the state of “denying thousands of students the benefits of modernised schooling.” He added that the move amounted to an admission that the Union government’s policy was correct all along.

BJP’s student wing ABVP also welcomed the development, noting that around 336 schools in Kerala stand to be upgraded to the standards of Kendriya Vidyalayas under the scheme.

About the PM SHRI scheme

The PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) is a national initiative to strengthen and modernise over 14,500 schools across the country. These include existing institutions run by central, state, and local bodies, which will be upgraded with advanced infrastructure, digital learning tools, and inclusive education models aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.