The Central Government has expressed its concerns about five states that have not signed MoUs with the Education Ministry for schools under the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI), especially Punjab which has not implemented it despite continuing to get funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, sources said today, Thursday, February 29. 

Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Delhi are yet to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Education, whereas 30 states and union territories (UTs) have done so.

The initiative aims to modernise 14,500 schools and assist 1.8 million children.

It also intends to ensure that these schools serve as model institutes that embody the spirit of the new National Education Policy (NEP 2020).

The government has already selected 6,448 schools from 28 states and Union Territories for the upgrade in the first round.

"Despite taking funds from Centre for Samagra Shiksha Scheme, the refusal of five States/UTs, namely Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi to sign MOUs for PM SHRI schools reflects a troubling pattern. Punjab, after initially signing the MoU, stopped the implementation of PM SHRI," a source told PTI.

The source further divulged, "It is a clear politicisation by the States/UTs, where they accept funds under Samagra Shiksha but resist signing an MoU for PM SHRI.”

When asked about whether the Centre could pause funding under the Samgra Shiksha scheme for these states, the source said "nothing can be ruled out".

The Samagra Shiksha Scheme is the biggest Central Government school education scheme aimed at achieving universal education.

The initiative also helps states execute the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act of 2009, as well as strengthen and upgrade the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and other teacher training institutions.

In the fiscal year 2023-23, the Centre set aside Rs 37,453 crores of the Rs 68,804 crores allotted for school education in its budget.