Cabinet approves scheme to upgrade schools, with NEP condition for states

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme under which 14,500 schools, to be identified in consultation with states and Union Territories, will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 27,360 crore over the next five years.

PM SHRI will be a new Centrally sponsored scheme where the Government will bear 60 per cent of the implementation cost while states will be responsible for the remaining 40 per cent, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

The scheme will be open to states that agree to implement the NEP 2020 in entirety. 

MoU agreeing to implement NEP in entirety with (the) Centre laying down the commitments for supporting these schools for achieving specified quality assurance as PM SHRI schools," said a statement issued by the Ministry of Education.

The scheme is open to schools run by the Centre, such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, as well as those run by the state governments and local bodies.

To qualify for the scheme, the schools will have to meet a prescribed benchmark involving about 60 parameters, from availability of electricity to toilets.