Why in News?
The PM‑SHRI Scheme is in the news because the central government has withheld Samagra Shiksha (SSA) funds from several states (such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Punjab, and Delhi) for not signing the MoU for PM‑SHRI, triggering political and legal controversy.
Core Objective & Framework
- NEP 2020 Laboratories: PM-SHRI serves as a flagship showcase to demonstrate and physically execute the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines at the grassroots level.
- Target Scale: The scheme upgrades over 14,500 existing schools managed by Central, State, Union Territory, and local government bodies (including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas).
- Budgetary Outlay: It is backed by a total project cost of ₹27,360 crore, with a central financial share of ₹18,128 crore.
- Timeline Capping: Implemented from 2022–23 to 2026–27, after which the financial responsibility for maintenance transfers entirely to the respective states.
Funding Pattern
- General States: Shared on a 60:40 ratio between the Centre and State Governments.
- Special Regions: Shared on a 90:10 ratio for North-Eastern states, Himalayan states, and Jammu & Kashmir.
- Union Territories: Funded 100% by the Central Government for UTs without a legislature.
Selection Method
- Challenge-Based Competition: Selection does not follow state quotas; instead, schools must autonomously compete via an online challenge portal.
- Score Benchmarks: Urban schools must score a minimum of 70%, and rural schools must hit a minimum of 60% on baseline evaluations to qualify.
- Geographic Limit: A maximum of two schools (one elementary and one secondary) can be selected per block or Urban Local Body (ULB).
- Tech Verification: All selected institutions undergo mandatory geo-tagging managed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) to track infrastructure development.
Key Infrastructure & Academic Features
- Green School Standards: Upgraded schools integrate sustainable components like solar panels, rainwater harvesting, plastic-free zones, and natural farming nutrition gardens.
- Modernized Labs: Schools are equipped with advanced smart classrooms, ICT digital tools, and specialized Atal Tinkering Labs.
- New Pedagogy: Shifts the learning process away from rote learning toward experiential, inquiry-driven, and toy-based foundational education.
- Mentorship Role: PM-SHRI schools function as localized hubs to mentor and guide adjacent conventional government schools in their respective clusters.
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