"Funds Are Taxpayers’ Right, Not a Favour": Kerala Signs PM SHRI Scheme Without Accepting NEP, Says Minister Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Signing the PM SHRI scheme does not mean Kerala has accepted the National Education Policy (NEP) in its entirety, Education Minister V. Sivankutty clarified on Friday. He said the state continues to implement education projects based on Kerala’s own priorities and values, just as it did earlier under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.
“Since October 2022, the Centre has been using Samagra Shiksha as a tool to enforce NEP. Even while receiving those funds till 2023, Kerala carried out only those projects consistent with our state’s educational principles. The same approach continues now,” the minister said at a press conference.
He explained that while signing the PM SHRI scheme comes with a clause related to NEP implementation, Kerala has maintained its independent stance. “We follow our own vision rooted in the recommendations of the State Higher Education Commission report. The Centre’s policy has not even been implemented 30 percent. Many elements of NEP 2020 — such as pre-primary education, teacher empowerment, 100 percent enrollment, and the three-language formula — have already been in place in Kerala for decades,” he said.
The minister emphasized that curriculum design is entirely a state responsibility. “Page 17, Section 4.32 of the NEP clearly states that state governments have the final authority to decide on curriculum matters,” Sivankutty pointed out. He noted that after NEP’s introduction, Kerala became the only state to revise the curriculum and textbooks from Classes 1 to 10, focusing on secularism, scientific temper, and constitutional values.
Kerala also retained lessons removed by NCERT — such as the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and Mughal history — by including them in supplementary textbooks and conducting exams based on them. “The same curriculum and textbooks will continue in all schools across Kerala without any change,” the minister affirmed.
Addressing concerns that smaller schools would be shut down under the ‘school complex’ model, Sivankutty said such fears were baseless. “This government protected and revived schools that the previous UDF government had decided to close. Through the Public Education Rejuvenation Mission, over 11 lakh students have returned to public schools in the past nine years,” he said.
Calling the decision part of Kerala’s fight for federal values, Sivankutty recalled that during the NCERT General Body meeting in Delhi — attended by ministers from 20 states — he was the only one to speak out against the Centre’s flawed policies. “Kerala has shown the courage to include topics on Centre-state relations and the powers of Governors in textbooks to uphold constitutional values. It is the Centre that has been choking states financially by withholding funds. Kerala is standing firm to reclaim its rightful share,” he said.
Under the PM SHRI scheme, schools chosen must prefix their names with “PM SHRI.” The minister pointed out that several central schemes already carry similar prefixes — such as “PM Poshan” for the mid-day meal programme and “PM Usha” for higher education. “Out of 82 central schemes, 17 start with ‘PM,’ including six in the education sector. It’s just a technicality. Denying benefits to 40 lakh students over such naming conventions would be an act of injustice,” he said.
Sivankutty said signing the PM SHRI scheme was a strategic move to counter the Centre’s financial pressure tactics. “The Centre had blocked Kerala’s Samagra Shiksha funds because we hadn’t signed the PM SHRI scheme. The state lost 188.58 crore in 2023–24, 513.14 crore in arrears for 2024–25, and 456.1 crore expected in 2025–26 — a total of 1,158 crore,” he said.
The scheme will conclude in March 2027. By signing now, Kerala becomes eligible for 1,486.13 crore — including pending Samagra Shiksha dues and two years of PM SHRI funds. The Centre has so far agreed to release 971 crore under Samagra Shiksha.
The minister said withholding these funds directly affects nearly 40 lakh students from marginalized backgrounds in public schools, including 5.61 lakh Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, and 1.08 lakh differently-abled children who depend on special assistance, therapy, and support devices. “This shortage also affects free uniforms, textbooks, girls’ allowances, pre-primary education, teacher training, and exam management — the very backbone of public education,” he said.
“Kerala will not compromise the future of its children for political convenience. These funds are not a favor from any party — they are our children’s rightful share, coming from the tax money of Kerala’s people. Securing that right is the duty of a people’s government,” Sivankutty declared.
He added that Kerala’s resistance against the Centre’s attempts to push the RSS agenda through education will continue. “There will be no compromise on the secular, democratic, and scientific foundations of Kerala’s public education,” he asserted.