What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: A dispute has emerged between the Union Ministry of Education and the Tamil Nadu government over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to sign the agreement to access funds under the Samagra Shiksha (SS) scheme.
The PM SHRI scheme, launched in September 2022, aims to upgrade 14,500 schools across India to serve as model institutes that align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. These exemplary schools are expected to benefit 18 lakh students nationwide. In his letter dated August 30, Minister Pradhan emphasized that the MoU’s signing is crucial for Tamil Nadu to receive funds under the SS scheme for the financial year 2024-25. He noted that Tamil Nadu initially agreed to sign the MoU in March 2024 but later submitted a modified version in July 2024, omitting a key clause requiring the full implementation of NEP 2020.
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Pradhan expressed surprise at the modification, pointing out that 32 other states and Union Territories had already signed the original MoU, which included the complete adoption of NEP 2020. He highlighted that the Centre had approved Rs 4,305.66 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for Tamil Nadu for FY 2024-25 and released Rs 1,876.15 crore in the previous financial year. Pradhan’s letter was in response to Chief Minister Stalin’s appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 27, seeking the release of the first instalment of SS funds for FY 2024-25, which he claimed had not yet been disbursed.
In a response to media coverage suggesting a quid pro quo arrangement, a spokesperson from the Ministry clarified, “The story about the Education Minister’s letter regarding the PM SHRI MoU is misleading because it suggests a quid pro quo, which is incorrect. The letter primarily addresses the PM SHRI MoU and possibilities under NEP 2020, particularly in promoting Tamil as a medium of instruction.”
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Chief Minister Stalin has argued that linking the release of SS funds to the NEP implementation undermines state autonomy and impacts the education of disadvantaged children. He has called for the release of funds without conditions, stating that such stipulations go against the principles of social justice and federalism. This stance echoes his earlier criticisms of NEP as elitist and favouring certain sections of society, with a particular emphasis on the three-language policy and the promotion of Sanskrit over Tamil and other regional languages.
The Centre has selected 6,448 schools from 28 states and Union Territories for upgradation under the first phase of the PM SHRI scheme. As the standoff between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government continues, the future of education funding and policy implementation in the state remains uncertain, raising concerns about the impact on school education and development.
