PM Schools for Rising India

Education is the most important tool for social, economic and political transformation and a key instrument for building an equitable society. A well-educated population, equipped with the relevant knowledge, attitudes and skills is essential for economic and social development in the twenty-first century. Education also acts as an integrative force in society, imparting values that foster social cohesion and national identity1 . Before 1976, education was the exclusive responsibility of the States. The Constitutional Amendment of 1976 included education in the Concurrent List. While the role and responsibility of the States in education remained largely unchanged, the Union Government accepted a larger responsibility of reinforcing the national and integrated character of education, maintaining quality and standards including those of the teaching profession at all levels, and the study and monitoring of the educational requirements of the country.

“The National Education Policy has transformed the education sector in the recent years and the PM SHRI schools will further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of NEP.”

Education is a key factor in the development of any nation, state or society. Recognising the need for inclusive and equitable education, the Central Government in recent years has been giving significant emphasis on strengthening India’s education and skilling ecosystem. So the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launched a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme - PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India), on September 07, 2022.

PM SHRI Schools

PM Schools for Rising India is a new scheme for the development of more than 14500 schools across the country, by strengthening selected existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies. These schools will act as exemplar schools showcasing all components of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and offering mentorship to other schools in their vicinity. This Scheme will deliver quality teaching for the cognitive development of students and will strive to create and nurture holistic and well rounded individuals equipped with key skills required for the 21st century.

Features of PM SHRI Schools-

• PM SHRI Schools will provide leadership to other schools in their respective regions by providing mentorship.

• The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic-free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of the environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

• Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery oriented, learner-centric, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.

• Focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real-life situations and will be competency-based.

• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.

Innovation in PM SHRI Schools :

1. Quality and Innovation through Learning Enhancement Programme, Holistic Progress Card, Innovative Pedagogies, Bagless days, Internships with Local artisans, Capacity building etc.

2. Beneficiary-oriented entitlements under the RTE Act. 100% of PM SHRI Schools will receive Science and Math Kits.

3. Annual School Grants (Composite School grants, Library grants, Sports grants)

4. Early Childhood Care and Education including Bal Vatika and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy 5. Equity and Inclusion including the provision of safe and appropriate infrastructure for girls and Children with Special Needs (CWSN).

6. Encouraging flexibility in the choice of subjects offered to students.

7. Encouraging mother tongue/local languages as a medium of instruction using technological interventions to help bridge language barriers.

8. 100% of the PM SHRI Schools will be covered under Information and Communication Technology (ICT), smart classrooms, and digital initiatives.

9. Vocational interventions & Enhancing internship/entrepreneurship opportunities, especially with local industry.

10. A saturation approach will be adopted to develop these schools with all modern facilities. Science labs, Libraries, ICT facilities, Vocational labs, etc. will be provided to all the schools.

Further, the scheme envisages convergence with existing schemes /Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Urban Local Bodies and community participation for infrastructure upgradation of the school and creation of facilities.

What is the Selection Method of PM SHRI School?

Selection of PM SHRI schools will be done through Challenge Mode wherein Schools compete for support to become exemplary schools. Schools would be required to self-apply on the online portal.
A maximum of two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ULB with an upper limit of the number of total schools across India.
Geo-tagging of schools for the selection and monitoring of PM SHRI schools will be done. The services of Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) will be taken for geo-tagging and other related tasks. An Expert committee would be constituted for the final selection of schools.

How PM SHRI be implemented?

PM SHRI Schools would be implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, KVS & NVS. The other autonomous bodies would be involved on a specific project basis as required.
These schools shall be monitored vigorously to assess progress and understand the challenges faced in the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020.