Over 55,000 schools applied for PM SHRI scheme so far: Education ministry

NEW DELHI: More than 55,000 schools have applied for the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI schools) Yojana, the ministry of education said. The PM SHRI scheme launched on November 3 aims to upgrade 14,500 schools in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

These schools will be digitally-equipped and pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, learner-centered, the ministry said. Kendriya Vidyalaya (KVS), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS), Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya and all 29 states and union territories have signed-up for the scheme and a total of 55,564 schools have applied so far, it said.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in June 2022 announced that the government is planning to set up PM SHRI schools and said it will be “the laboratory of NEP”. Subsequently, on Teacher’s Day 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced the PM SHRI Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) and was cleared by the cabinet on September 7.

The Prime Minister announced that 14,500 schools across India will be developed and upgraded under the scheme. The Cabinet approved a budget of Rs 27,360 crore to upgrade PM SHRI schools in five years (from 2022-27). 18 lakh students are expected to be direct beneficiaries of the scheme, Pradhan said earlier.

The government will select a maximum of two schools, including one elementary and one secondary or senior secondary school, in every block. The selection will be based on 60 “point-based” criteria like availability of drinking water, playground, boundary wall and more.