**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Starred Question No. 14 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 1, 2025, regarding the provision for withdrawal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the PM SHRI Scheme. The question was posed by Shri M. K. Raghavan to the Minister of Education, regarding fund allocation to Kerala, and state government's right to withdraw from MoU. The State of Kerala signed the MoU on October 23, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PM SHRI Scheme Overview:**
* Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
* It aims to strengthen existing schools managed by Central/State/UT Governments/local bodies.
* These schools are to showcase initiatives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools.
* **MoU and Selection Process:**
* States/UTs sign an MoU with the Centre, outlining commitments for supporting schools to achieve quality assurance.
* Selection of PM SHRI schools is done through a Challenge Mode, where schools compete for support.
* **Kerala Specifics:**
* The State of Kerala has signed the MoU on October 23rd, 2025.
* The selection of PM SHRI schools is to follow a transparent challenge mode.
* Kerala has been requested to upload information of schools on the PM SHRI portal.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Government of Kerala**
**Impact:**
The State Government is a signatory to the MoU under the PM SHRI scheme. They will need to participate in the transparent Challenge Mode for the selection of schools.
**Action Required:**
The State Government is required to upload information of schools on the PM SHRI portal.
**Stakeholder: Schools Managed by Central/State/UT Governments/Local Bodies**
**Impact:**
The schools are the potential candidates that can be selected and strengthened under the scheme.
**Action Required:**
The schools must compete in the Challenge Mode to be selected and gain support from the scheme to become exemplar schools.
Key Entities Referenced
PM SHRI Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India; a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to strengthen existing schools and make them exemplar schools following National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responsible for the PM SHRI scheme and answering parliamentary questions related to it.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The education policy that PM SHRI schools are meant to exemplify.
Kerala: The state government that is addressed in this question and is a participant in the PM SHRI scheme.
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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO - 14
ANSWERED ON – 01/12/2025
Provision for withdrawal of MoU under PM SHRI Scheme
*14. Shri M. K. Raghavan:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government has allocated funds to State Government of Kerala under
the PM-SHRI Scheme, if so, the details of the funds sanctioned, released, and utilized;
(b) whether the State Governments have the right to withdraw from the MoU signed with the
Union Government under the PM-SHRI scheme; and
(c) if so, the details thereof, including the guidelines and timeframe stipulated for such
withdrawal procedure?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF THE LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 14 ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025 ASKED BY SHRI
M. K. RAGHAVAN, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING
“PROVISION FOR WITHDRAWAL OF MOU UNDER PM SHRI SCHEME”
(a) to (c): Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) is a Centrally Sponsored
Scheme in which PM SHRI schools are set up by strengthening the existing schools from
amongst schools managed by Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies. These
schools are to showcase all the initiatives of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emerge as
exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the
neighbourhood.
Under the PM SHRI scheme, States/UTs sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Centre, laying down the commitments for supporting these schools for achieving specified
quality assurance as PM SHRI schools. Thereafter, the selection of PM SHRI schools is done
through the Challenge Mode, wherein schools compete for support to become exemplar
schools.
The State of Kerala has signed the MoU on 23rd October 2025, which is to be followed
by transparent challenge Mode for the selection of PM SHRI schools. Subsequently, State of
Kerala has been requested to upload information of schools on PM SHRI portal.
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