Parliament Question: Impact of PM SHRI Schools on Regional Schools

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 2609 ANSWERED ON – 09/03/2026 Impact of PM SHRI Schools on Regional Schools 2609. Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the manner in which the PM SHRI schools are being designed to act as role models for other schools in their region; (b) the details of training and resources being provided to educators in PM SHRI schools to ensure effective implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) guidelines; (c) whether any monitoring system/mechanism are put in place to track the performance and outcomes of PM SHRI schools in terms of student achievement and infrastructure development; and (d) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) In alignment with the National Education Policy, 2020, PM SHRI scheme has a provision to saturate PM SHRI schools across the country 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. So far, PM SHRI schools have achieved 91% saturation under above mentioned components. 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. (b) Under the PM SHRI Scheme, strengthening of teacher training is done through District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). There is financial provision of up to ₹3.00 lakh per DIET for capacity-building programmes of PM SHRI schools, along with assistance of up to ₹2,500 per teacher for training of subject teachers, principals, special educators, ICT teachers, and master trainers. School principals are trained in leadership, management, and competency- based pedagogical planning. Teachers are also trained on the Holistic Progress Card, school safety and security, mental health and well-being, first-level counselling, and integration of ICT in teaching-learning practices thereby enhancing overall teaching quality and school leadership in PM SHRI schools.Further, to operationalize NEP-aligned pedagogy, there is a provision to equip PM SHRI schools with academic and physical resources. This includes provision of Teacher Resource Material (TRM) and Teaching Learning Material (TLM) to support competency-based and experiential learning. Schools are equipped with subject-specific kits such as Science Kits and Mathematics Kits to promote hands-on inquiry and problem-solving skills. ICT-enabled learning is strengthened through establishment/upgradation of ICT labs, smart classrooms, and digital infrastructure to facilitate blended learning. Additionally, funds are allocated for library enhancement, sports equipment, skill education tools, art-integrated learning materials, and inclusive education aids. (c) & (d) The Department of School Education & Literacy is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of PM SHRI scheme in partnership with all the States and UTs. Financial assistance is provided to all States and UTs for various components for implementation of the interventions as per norms. Accordingly, the annual plans are prepared by the States and UTs based on their requirements and priority and this is reflected in their respective Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B). These plans are then appraised and approved/estimated by Project Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and UTs as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme. The release of central share depends on the submission of the utilisation certificates, audit reports in respect of funds released earlier, physical and financial progress reports, State contributions and compliance with the scheme norms. Further, the department undertakes following steps in the PM SHRI scheme to track the performance and outcomes of PM SHRI schools in terms of student achievement and infrastructure development: i. Monitoring of expenditure through a separate PRABANDH Portal (https://prabandh.education.gov.in/pmshri/ ) developed by NIC, enabling monitoring of utilisation and outcomes under various components approved by PAB. ii. Conduct of regular monthly reviews with States/UTs to assess progress. iii. A dedicated PM SHRI schools activities portal (https://pmshri.education.gov.in/sqaf/activities) has been developed to capture real- time data from schools, including student-level outcomes, infrastructure readiness, component-wise saturation, and progress on key indicators. iv. A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) has been developed as per the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, indicating the level of proficiency to be achieved by each PM SHRI school. SQAF is divided into six main domains, based on the six pillars of the PM SHRI scheme. v. In alignment with NEP 2020, student achievement in PM SHRI schools is tracked in accordance with the framework developed by PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), which lays down norms, standards and guidelines for competency-based and holistic assessment. Through large- scale assessments, along with tools like the Holistic Progress Card, PARAKH enables systematic benchmarking and monitoring of learning outcomes in PM SHRI schools. vi. Field visits by officials of the department for on-ground monitoring of the PM SHRI schools under the scheme. *****