Explained: What is the PM SHRI scheme announced by Narendra Modi under which 14,500 schools will be upgraded?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken yet another step toward shaping India’s future. On 5 September, Teacher’s Day, he announced the setting up and upgrading of 14,500 educational institutions under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM SHRI), a new scheme sponsored by the Centre.What is the PM SHRI scheme?Under this scheme, new schools will be built and existing ones will be upgraded to keep up with the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP).The 14,500 institutions from India’s states and Union Territories will be redeveloped to include the key features of NEP, 2020, a comprehensive framework to guide the growth of education in India. The first announcement regarding this scheme was made in June during a NEP conference organised by the Ministry of Education in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar after the plan was discussed with state education ministers.How will the scheme benefit schools and students?Modi said that the institutions developed under PM SHRI will become “model schools” and will “encapsulate the full spirit of NEP”.“The National Education Policy has transformed the education sector in recent years. I am certain that the PM-SHRI schools will further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of NEP,” he added.According to the PM, the schools will adopt a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education. There will be an emphasis on a discovery-oriented, learning-centric way of teaching. The focus will also be on modern infra including the latest technology, smart classrooms, sports and more.These schools will be upgraded with laboratories, smart classrooms, libraries, sports equipment, and art rooms. They will be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste recycling, energy-efficient infrastructure and integration of the organic lifestyle as part of the curriculum, reports The Indian Express.They will be “fully equipped to prepare students for the future. These state-of-the-art schools will be the laboratory of NEP 2020”, the education ministry had said earlier.The scheme aims to provide high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs and different academic abilities of children. It will ensure that students are participants in their learning process, according to the vision of NEP 2020.[caption id="attachment_11196041" align="alignnone" width="640"]

The schools will be redeveloped to reflect the key features of the NEP 2020. PTI[/caption]What will be the Centre’s contribution?Since this school is sponsored by the Centre, it will bear 60 per cent of the cost of implementation. The remaining 40 per cent will be borne by the state or UT. In Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, the contribution of the Centre can go up to 90 per cent.Are there other schools funded by the Centre?Yes, the Kendriya Vidyalayas are fully funded by the Centre and cater to children of those who are employed with the Union government.Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas also come under the Ministry of Education and were started to nurture talented students from rural areas.The PM Shri scheme will upgrade schools run by the Centre, state, UTs and local bodies. So they can be Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, schools run by the state government or municipalities, reports The Indian Express.What are other central schemes for students?In September 2021, approved a new meal scheme known as the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme (PM Poshan Scheme) for government and government-aided schools. The original midday meal scheme is part of this programme.As part of this initiative, the Centre provides hot-cooked meals to students. The scheme is expected to benefit about 118 million children studying in classes 1 to 8 across the country.There are also scholarship schemes like the PRAGATI (Scholarship for Girl Students) and PM Yashasvi Scheme for students from the Other Backward Classes, economically backward classes, and non-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes among others.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.