Dharmendra Pradhan writes to Tamil Nadu CM Stalin over non-signing of PM SHRI scheme MoU

NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over non-signing of an MoU for the PM SHRI scheme. The PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme aims to upgrade 14,500 schools and is expected to benefit 18 lakh students. It also aims to ensure that these schools serve as model institutes and encapsulate the spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

The Centre has selected 6,448 schools from 28 states and Union territories for upgradation in the first phase. Pradhan said in his letter to Stalin, "I was happy to note when the state of Tamil Nadu gave an undertaking dated 15.03.2024, indicating its willingness to sign the PM SHRI MoU in the academic year 2024-25. After receiving the undertaking, a draft MoU was sent by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DOSEL) to Tamil Nadu.

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Samagra Shiksha scheme overview

However, I was surprised to see that the state responded with a modified MoU… wherein a key paragraph referring to the implementation of NEP, 2020, in entirety has been dropped." "Just as the state is implementing the Samagra Shiksha scheme that is aligned with NEP, 2020, it would be appropriate that the state comes forward to implement and showcase all the initiatives of NEP, 2020, under the PM SHRI scheme in order to develop government schools of the state as exemplar schools to facilitate best school education services," he further said.

The Samagra Shiksha scheme is the largest Central government scheme for school education for universalisation of education. It also supports the states in implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and strengthening and upgradation of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and other agencies for teachers' training.