Bengal signs pact with Centre to implement PM-SHRI scheme, Pg5

Key Highlights:

• West Bengal government signed an agreement with the Union government on Friday to implement the PM-SHRI schools scheme.
• The scheme aims to upgrade existing schools into exemplar schools showcasing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala had initially refused to implement the scheme, which was approved in 2022.
• The Education Ministry had linked the release of Samagra Shiksha funds to the implementation of PM-SHRI, affecting states that had not signed the MoU.

Detailed Insights:

• The PM-SHRI scheme is a central government initiative to improve the quality of education by upgrading existing schools.
• The Education Ministry has been urging states to adopt the NEP 2020 through the implementation of the PM-SHRI scheme.
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala remain the only states yet to sign the MoU, primarily due to disagreements over the mandatory implementation of the NEP in its entirety.
• The Centre's share of Samagra Shiksha funds for school education was partially withheld from states that did not implement the PM-SHRI scheme in 2023-24.

Key Concepts Involved:

• PM-SHRI Scheme: A central government scheme to upgrade existing schools into exemplar schools.
• NEP 2020: The National Education Policy 2020, which outlines the vision and framework for education in India.
• Samagra Shiksha: An integrated scheme for school education covering pre-school to senior secondary levels.