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The West Bengal government on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Central government for the implementation of the PM SHRI Schools initiative across the state, the Union Ministry of Education said.

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It was signed in the presence of the Secretary of the Union Education Ministry's School Education and Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Additional Secretaries of the government of West Bengal, Dheeraj Sahu and Binod Kumar. According to the Ministry, the initiative is aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to transform existing schools into model institutions of excellence. The PM SHRI scheme aims to develop more than 14,500 schools across the country as model institutions aligned with the vision of NEP 2020.

Shift in Stance and Broader Implications

The move comes amid changing political dynamics in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with officials expressing hope that it could facilitate the smoother implementation of key education initiatives aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Earlier, the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had refused to join the centrally sponsored scheme and did not sign the required MoU.

Sources said the ministry will also ask West Bengal to implement the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) scheme, which focuses on adult literacy and lifelong learning. In Kerala, the Centre is expected to push for the revival of the PM SHRI agreement. The state had signed an MoU with the Union government on October 23, 2025, but later put the agreement on hold.

Officials said implementation may become smoother in West Bengal after the BJP's electoral victory in the state. However, the situation in Tamil Nadu remains uncertain after actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won the Assembly elections.

The issue had earlier led to a standoff between the Centre and several opposition-ruled states over education funding. The Union government had withheld or paused the release of Samagra Shiksha funds to states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Delhi, and Punjab, during the 2024-25 financial year after they refused to sign the MoU. (ANI)