Setback for Kerala Left: Joins PM SHRI Scheme Amid Funding Crisis
In a surprising political turn, Kerala’s Left-led government has signed an MoU to join the PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme, despite years of strong opposition to it. The move marks a significant ideological retreat for the ruling Communist leadership — and a clear sign that financial pressure has forced their hand.
For a government that long resisted the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), this U-turn has left even its allies stunned.
A Move Born Out of Financial Desperation
Kerala had earlier refused to join the PM SHRI scheme, citing fears of “central interference” in the state’s education model. But after the Centre reportedly withheld ₹1,158 crore in key education funds, the Vijayan government had little room to maneuver.
By signing the MoU, Kerala now expects to receive around ₹1,476 crore, including arrears and new allocations, to upgrade its school infrastructure and teaching ecosystem.
In short, ideology bowed to economics.
Internal Dissent and Political Backlash
The decision has triggered a storm within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) itself. The CPI, a coalition partner of the ruling CPM, has accused Education Minister V. Sivankutty of bypassing consultation and betraying the front’s ideological stand. Left-leaning student unions have also hit the streets, calling the scheme a “Trojan horse for saffronisation.”
Despite the protests, the state government insists that the move is “purely administrative” and that Kerala will retain control over curriculum and pedagogy. Sivankutty even added that the MoU “can be withdrawn anytime,” a statement that reflects the political discomfort behind the decision.
The Bigger Picture: Federalism Under Strain
Kerala’s reversal exposes a deeper national reality — the Centre’s growing financial dominance over state education policy. When funding is tied to participation, states are forced to comply, even at the cost of their ideological positions.
For a state that has long prided itself on a progressive education model, joining PM SHRI may be seen as a strategic compromise to sustain its schools rather than a wholehearted endorsement of the NEP.
What This Means for India’s Education Map
With Kerala on board, most major Indian states — including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra — are now aligned with the PM SHRI framework. The scheme, launched in 2022, aims to upgrade over 14,500 schools across India into model institutions that integrate digital tools, green practices, and experiential learning.
However, critics argue that it serves as a tool for central narrative control and undermines state autonomy in education.
The Bottom Line
Kerala’s decision is more than a bureaucratic development — it’s a symbolic climbdown by one of India’s most ideologically rigid state governments.
The Left, known for calling NEP “anti-federal” and “corporate-driven,” now finds itself signing on to the same policy framework it once denounced. Financial reality has done what political persuasion could not.
The PM SHRI scheme just claimed one more victory , not in Parliament, but in the political corridors of Thiruvananthapuram.