**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Unstarred Question No. 297 regarding pending central funds for the education sector in Kerala, answered on February 2, 2026. It outlines the allocation and disbursement of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme and the University Grants Commission (UGC), noting that financial assistance is provided to states and UTs according to established norms and guidelines. The document also discusses the alignment of the Samagra Shiksha scheme with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the PM-SHRI scheme.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Samagra Shiksha Scheme:**
* Implemented in partnership with all states and UTs.
* Financial assistance is provided to states and UTs as per norms for various components.
* Annual plans are prepared by states and UTs based on requirements and priority, reflected in Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B), which is appraised by the Project Approval Board (PAB).
* No provision for carrying forward pending recurring activities from the previous financial year; non-recurring activities may be taken up as committed liabilities.
* Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
* **PM-SHRI Scheme:**
* Envisages showcasing the implementation of the NEP 2020 and emergence of exemplar schools.
* Kerala signed the MoU in October 2025 but has yet to complete the school selection process.
* **Financial Details:**
* Rs. 92.41 Crore has been released to Kerala as 1st installment during the current financial year out of Central Share of Rs. 452.04 Crore allocated for FY 2025-26.
* The balance Central Share will be released subject to compliance with scheme release criteria and Ministry of Finance guidelines.
* No grants are pending for release by the UGC.
* UGC has released Rs. 3892.67 lakh to higher educational institutions (HEIs) of Kerala State for the year 2025-26, up to September 2025.
* **General Provisions:**
* Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution.
* Financial assistance under Samagra Shiksha is provided to all States and UTs in accordance with the norms of the Scheme and the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance from time to time.
* Implementation of Samagra Shiksha Scheme is implementation of NEP 2020 and PM SHRI Schools are exemplar schools of ΝΕΡ 2020.
* Kerala should implement all initiatives of NEP 2020, including PM SHRI scheme, to develop government schools as exemplar schools.
**Impact Analysis**
**Kerala State Government**
* **Impact:** Receives central funds for the education sector under the Samagra Shiksha scheme and UGC.
* **Action Required:** Must comply with the release criteria of the scheme and guidelines of the Ministry of Finance to receive the balance of the Central Share. Should also implement all initiatives of NEP 2020, including PM SHRI scheme, and complete the school selection process under PM SHRI.
**Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Kerala**
* **Impact:** Receive funding from the UGC.
* **Action Required:** Continue to meet the guidelines and requirements for utilizing the released funds for the year 2025-26.
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha: A centrally sponsored scheme focused on school education, providing financial assistance to States and UTs.
Kerala: The State regarding pending Central funds for its education sector.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A national policy on education that Samagra Shiksha aims to implement.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responsible for education and releasing the funds.
PM-SHRI: A centrally sponsored scheme envisaging the implementation of NEP 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 297
ANSWERED ON 02/02/2026
Pending Central Funds for Education Sector in Kerala
297. Shri K Radhakrishnan:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that substantial Central funds meant for the
education sector are pending to the State of Kerala, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is a fact that as on September 2025, Central assistance amounting to
Rs. 1,248.13 crore under Samagra Shiksha and Rs. 636.88 crore and Rs. 750.93 crore
under University Grants Commission–related benefits are pending to Kerala;
(c) if so, the details of reasons for withholding or delaying the release of these funds
despite Kerala’s consistently strong performance in school education and higher
education indicators; and
(d) the details of the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to
immediately release the pending dues and ensure timely, non-discriminatory funding to
States for the education sector?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (d): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the
schools are under the domain of respective State and UT Governments. The Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha is implemented 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 under Samagra Shiksha as per norms.
Accordingly, the annual plans under Samagra Shiksha 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
by Project Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and UTs as per the
programmatic and financial norms of the scheme. Financial assistance under Samagra
Shiksha is provided to all States and Union Territories for various interventions in
accordance with the norms of the Scheme and the guidelines issued by the Ministry of
Finance from time to time.
As per the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, there is no provision for carrying forward
pending recurring activities from the previous financial year. However, pending non-
recurring activities at the end of a financial year are allowed to be taken up in thesubsequent financial year as committed liabilities based on demands submitted by the
concerned State/UTs.
The scheme of Samagra Shiksha has been aligned with the National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of PM-SHRI envisages to
showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as
exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the
neighbourhood. Kerala signed the MoU for PM SHRI in October, 2025. Kerala is yet to
complete the process for school selection under PM SHRI Scheme.
An amount of Rs. 92.41 Crore has been released to the State of Kerala as 1st
instalment during current financial year out of Central Share of Rs. 452.04 Crore
allocated for FY 2025-26. The balance Central Share will be released to the State subject
to compliance with release criteria of the scheme and guidelines of Ministry of Finance
issued from time to time. No such grants are pending for release by the University Grants
Commission (UGC). Further, funds amounting to Rs. 3892.67 lakh have been released
by UGC to the higher educational institutions (HEIs) of Kerala State for the year 2025-26,
up to September 2025.
Since, the State of Kerela is implementing Samagra Shiksha Scheme which has
been aligned with NEP 2020, it would be appropriate that the States come forward to
implement and showcase all the initiatives of NEP 2020 including under PM SHRI
Scheme in order to develop government schools of the States as exemplar schools to
facilitate best school education services. In fact, implementation of Samagra Shiksha
Scheme is implementation of NEP 2020 and PM SHRI Schools are exemplar schools of
NEP 2020.
***