Context:

• Recently, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship launched 37 PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) and 26 PM SHRI Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS) in Odisha.

About PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme:

• It was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2022. 

• This centrally sponsored initiative aims to uplift over 14,500 schools nationwide by enhancing existing institutions managed by Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies.
• PM SHRI schools will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighborhood.
• Financial Outlay: The scheme’s total project cost is Rs. 27,360 crore, with a central share of Rs. 18,128 crore over five years (2022-23 to 2026-27).

Features of PM SHRI Schools:

• Equitable Education:
  • Focus on diverse backgrounds, multilingual needs, and varied academic abilities.
  • Act as active participants in their learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.
• Green School Initiatives:
  • Incorporate environment-friendly aspects like solar panels, LED lights, nutrition gardens, waste management, and water conservation.
  • Create awareness for adopting a sustainable lifestyle.
• Innovative Pedagogy:
  • Experiential, holistic, and learner-centered teaching methods.
  • Encourage play/toy-based and inquiry-driven learning, fostering 21st-century skills.
• Assessment and Quality Assurance:
  • Competency-based assessment at all levels.
  • Regular quality evaluations using the School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF).
    • School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF) is a set of standards and best practices as paradigms for attaining individual and institutional excellence. 

Implementation Strategy:

• Implemented through existing administrative structures for Samagra Shiksha, KVS & NVS.

Selection Methodology in PM SHRI Schools:

• Challenge Mode: Schools compete for support to become exemplar schools.
• Quarterly application process for schools to self-apply on the online portal.
• Maximum two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ULB with upper limit of 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. 

News Source: PIB