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Centre, West Bengal sign MoU for PM SHRI Schools initiative
The Union Ministry of Education and the West Bengal government signed a memorandum of understanding to implement the PM SHRI Schools initiative in the state, bringing WB into the Centre’s NEP-aligned school transformation scheme. The MoU was signed on May 15, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan by senior officials from both sides. With WB on board, only Kerala and Tamil Nadu remain unsigned among states.
Why It Matters
The signing brings West Bengal into the Centre’s flagship school transformation scheme, aligning state efforts with NEP 2020 and potentially transforming existing government schools into model institutions.
Timeline
1 Event
MoU signed to implement PM SHRI Schools initiative in West Bengal
May 15, 2026
The MoU was signed at Kartavya Bhawan by Sanjay Kumar, secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), and Dheeraj Sahu, additional secretary, on behalf of the Centre, and Binod Kumar, additional chief secretary, on behalf of the West Bengal government. The MoU aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to transform existing schools into model institutions of excellence, serving as exemplar institutions and guiding nearby schools to enhance learning outcomes, innovation and holistic education. The PM SHRI scheme follows a 60:40 funding pattern between the Centre and states, with northeastern and Himalayan states receiving a larger Centre share; launched in September 2022, it aims to upgrade 14,500 existing government schools, with 13,091 PM SHRI schools currently selected across the country.