Parliament Question: Expansion of PM SHRI schools and infrastructure development in Bihar

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 4203 ANSWERED ON – 01/04/2026 Expansion of PM SHRI schools and infrastructure development in Bihar 4203 Shri Akhilesh Prasad Singh: Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state: (a) the number of schools in Bihar selected under the PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) initiative since its launch and the number operational in Patna district; (b) whether these schools have been equipped with modern laboratories, smart classrooms, skill training facilities and digital infrastructure in line with National Education Policy objectives; (c) the total funds sanctioned and released for upgradation of educational infrastructure in Bihar under the scheme during 2023–26; and (d) the steps taken to ensure equitable distribution of such model schools in rural and underdeveloped districts of the State? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a): The PM SHRI scheme was approved on 7th September, 2022 and the State of Bihar signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 04.03.2024 to implement the scheme. Subsequently, a total of 836 PM SHRI schools have been selected till 28.03.2026 from the State of Bihar of which 38 PM SHRI schools have been selected from Patna district. The details of PM SHRI schools may be accessed on the website of PM SHRI scheme at the link: https://pmshri.education.gov.in/state. (b): In alignment with the National Education Policy, 2020, PM SHRI scheme has a provision to saturate these PM SHRI schools with 21 NEP components such as computer lab/ICT lab/smart classrooms, library with good furniture, internet facility, vocational skill education, guidance and career counselling, fully equipped integrated science lab/physics lab/chemistry lab/biology lab, playground with well-equipped sports facilities, school innovation council, youth and eco club for mission life, Building as Learning Aid (BaLa) features and jaadui pitara for primary school children, 10 bagless days for students, child tracking software for tracking the children attendance, fully functioning handwashing facility and toilets, green school features etc. These PM SHRI schools are to showcase all the initiatives of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, be the exemplar schools, and also offer benchmarking leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood.(c): Since onboarding of State of Bihar on PM SHRI scheme, a total outlay of ₹1000.75 crore has been approved by the Project Approval Board (PAB) in FY 2025-26 out of which central share is ₹600.45 crore. Further, an amount of ₹300.22 crore was issued to the State of Bihar as Mother Sanction on 28.07.2025. (d): To ensure equal distribution of PM SHRI schools across the State of Bihar including rural and underdeveloped districts, the guidelines of PM SHRI scheme prescribe selection of a maximum of two schools per block/ Urban Local Body (ULB) with an upper limit on the total number of schools across India. *****