Thiruvananthapuram:
The political row in Kerala over the state government’s decision to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Centre’s PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme appears to be moving towards a consensus within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The controversy erupted after the CPI(M)-led government signed the MoU, a move strongly opposed by its key ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI), which views the scheme as an imposition of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and an attempt at the ‘saffronisation’ of education.
Following intense internal friction and calls from the CPI for the withdrawal or review of the agreement, the LDF is engaged in a pacification and consensus-building exercise. Reports suggest that as part of this effort, the state government is considering a temporary freeze on the implementation of the PM SHRI project.
Furthermore, the government is planning to write to the Central government requesting relaxations or exemptions from certain clauses of the PM SHRI scheme.
The state government’s U-turn on the scheme, which it had previously resisted for three years, was primarily motivated by the need to secure substantial Central funds—reportedly over ₹1,400 crore—that were being withheld, including for the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) project, as the Centre had linked the release of these funds to the signing of the PM SHRI MoU.
The government has argued that signing the pact was a “tactical” move to ensure the flow of essential funds for the education sector, and it will not compromise on the state’s educational values or curriculum, but the CPI continues to press for a withdrawal. The planned freezing of the contract and the letter seeking exemptions are seen as attempts by the CPI(M) to mollify the indignant CPI and maintain LDF unity while securing the necessary federal grants.
