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Launched on 7 September 2022, the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme seeks to develop over 14,500 exemplar schools aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. With a total outlay of ₹27,360 crore across 2022–23 to 2026–27, the scheme strengthens infrastructure, pedagogy, inclusion, and sustainability, while equipping students with 21st-century skills. As of July 2026, 13,092 schools - around 90% of the target- have been selected across 36 States/UTs including schools under KVS, NVS, and NCERT. The schools are selected through a three-stage Challenge Mode based on defined quality benchmarks. Envisioned as mentor institutions for neighbouring schools, PM SHRI schools mark a shift from infrastructure-centric development towards holistic, equitable, and future-ready education.

PM SHRI: Building Schools That Lead by Example

India is witnessing a significant transformation in its school education system, marked by a growing emphasis on quality, equity, inclusion, and future-ready learning. With 14.71 lakh schools serving more than 24.69 crore students, the education system is increasingly focused on enhancing learning outcomes and creating enabling environments that support the holistic development of every learner. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 furnishes the overarching framework for this transformation, while the PM SHRI initiative operationalizes its vision at the school level, translating policy intent into institutional practice. Launched on 7 September 2022, the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. The scheme seeks to qualitatively strengthen existing schools and develop them as exemplar institutions demonstrating the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. With a total project cost of ₹27,360 crore, the scheme focuses on strengthening more than 14,500 existing schools as exemplar institutions. These schools are envisioned to provide safe, stimulating, and welcoming learning environments, supported by quality infrastructure, appropriate learning resources, and diverse learning experiences.

As of July 2026, 13,092 schools have been selected as PM SHRI Schools across States and Union Territories, including schools under the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). This represents around 90% of the envisaged target. The scheme is expected to benefit more than 20 lakh students directly.

Strategic Focus of PM SHRI

The scheme extends support beyond strengthening individual schools. PM SHRI schools are envisioned as models for their regions, sharing their practices and supporting neighbouring schools through mentoring, handholding, collaboration and clustering. This is intended to create a ripple effect, enabling more schools to develop towards exemplar standards over time.

At the core of the scheme is a vision of education that fosters lifelong learning and equips students with the capacity and disposition to learn, unlearn and relearn. The broader objective is to develop engaged, productive and responsible citizens capable of contributing to the creation of an equitable, inclusive and plural society.

Strengthening School Education Through PM SHRI

The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme is being implemented over five years, from 2022–23 to 2026–27. The scheme has a total project cost of ₹27,360 crore, including a Central share of ₹18,128 crore. The central share of approved Project Approval Board (PAB) outlay rose from ₹2,520 crore in 2023–24 to ₹5,224 crore in 2026–27. This marks an increase of around 107%, reflecting the growing scale of investment in strengthening PM SHRI schools.

PM SHRI Schools: Advancing the Vision of NEP 2020

PM SHRI Scheme aims to showcase all the components of the National Education Policy 2020 and focuses not only on cognitive development but also on creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st century skills. The scheme focuses on creating an equitable, inclusive, and joyful learning environment that caters to diverse backgrounds and varied academic abilities. These schools are designed to engage students actively in their learning process, ensuring that every child feels welcomed, cared for, and supported in a safe and stimulating environment.

Key Dimensions of Quality and Excellence under PM SHRI

PM SHRI Schools are designed as exemplar schools that demonstrate the key principles of NEP 2020 through quality education, modern infrastructure, inclusive practices and sustainable development.

•Inclusive Learning: Provides high-quality, equitable, and joyful education while addressing diverse backgrounds, multilingual needs, and different learning abilities.
•Mentorship: PM SHRI Schools will serve as exemplar schools and provide leadership and mentorship to other schools in their regions.
•Green Schools: Promote sustainable and environment-friendly practices as an important school quality benchmark.
•Experiential Learning: Emphasizes experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-based, and learner-centered approaches, including play and toy-based learning in the foundational years.
•Learning Outcomes: Focuses on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to strengthen learning outcomes and the application of knowledge.
•Quality Infrastructure: Involves assessing school infrastructure on parameters including adequacy, functionality, aesthetics and safety.
•Future Ready Skills: Promotes exposure to 21st century skills and links schools with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
•Quality Assessment: The School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) provides a structured mechanism to assess and monitor the quality of PM SHRI Schools.

The six pillars of PM SHRI schools

The PM SHRI schools scheme is based on the development of sub-domains of six major pillars derived from 9 chapters of NEP 2020, which are as follows:

How PM SHRI Schools Transform School Education

Learning Designed Around the Child

PM SHRI schools follow either the CBSE or the relevant State or Union Territory syllabus according to their affiliation. Their curriculum follows the National Curriculum Framework or State Curriculum Framework developed in accordance with the 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical structure under NEP 2020. States and Union Territories have flexibility to contextualise the curriculum according to local needs while adhering to core principles and constitutional values.

PM SHRI Schools also promote experiential learning through bagless days,

internships with local artisans, study of local arts, crafts and traditions, celebration of important cultural events, and preservation of indigenous knowledge and practices.

Equity, Inclusion and Multilingual Learning

PMSHRI schools have played a pivotal role in providing inclusive and equitable education, ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds, including rural and underserved communities, have access to high-quality education. By focusing on bridging educational disparities, these schools have helped create a more equitable learning environment across India.

The scheme also promotes the use of the mother tongue, local or regional language as the medium of teaching and learning, particularly in the early grades. The latest UDISE+ 2025–26 data records 6,102 Sanskrit teachers, 1,994 Urdu teachers, and 9,152 regional language teachers in PM SHRI schools.

It also encourages community participation in supporting learning through local languages. This approach is crucial for ensuring that every child develops strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

Technology Enabled Learning

A significant achievement of PM SHRI Schools lies in the systematic integration of technology into the teaching–learning environment. The provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities, smart classrooms, internet connectivity, digital learning platforms, and STEM-based programmes is contributing to the creation of more interactive, experiential, and learner-centred educational environments. These interventions not only enhance access to diverse learning resources but also support the development of digital literacy, technological competencies, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Platforms such as DIKSHA serve as repositories of high-quality digital educational resources and facilitate the sharing and dissemination of learning materials among teachers and students, thereby strengthening technology-enabled pedagogical practices.

Holistic Student Development

PM SHRI Schools adopt a holistic approach to student development by integrating academic learning with extracurricular activities, sports, arts, and life-skills education. This multidimensional approach extends beyond conventional academic achievement to foster the development of leadership capabilities, creativity, socio-emotional competencies, and interpersonal skills. By providing opportunities for diverse forms of learning and participation, the schools seek to equip students with the competencies, resilience, and adaptability required to navigate future educational, professional, and social challenges.

Empowering Teachers and School Leaders

PM SHRI Schools seek to strengthen teacher capacity and institutional leadership through structured professional development initiatives supported by District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). Under the initiative, financial assistance of up to ₹3 lakh per DIET is provided for capacity-building programmes, while support of up to ₹2,500 per teacher is extended for the training of subject teachers, principals, special educators, ICT teachers, and master trainers.

Principals are provided training in educational leadership, school management, and competency-based pedagogical planning, enabling them to strengthen institutional planning and academic governance. Teachers receive professional development in areas including the Holistic Progress Card, school safety, mental health and well-being, first-level counselling, and ICT integration. These interventions seek to enhance pedagogical competencies, strengthen school leadership, and promote continuous professional development among educational personnel.

A Growing National Network

The PM SHRI initiative has established a substantial national network comprising 13,092 selected schools across States and Union Territories, including institutions under the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The initiative has achieved extensive geographical coverage, encompassing 725 districts and 8,340 blocks/ULBs, thereby establishing a broad institutional and spatial footprint across the country.

Among the 13,092 selected schools, 1,305 are primary schools, 3,102 upper primary schools, 3,141 secondary schools, and 5,544 higher secondary schools. The network further includes 80 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), 913 KVS schools, 620 NVS schools, and 4 NCERT schools. The scale and diversity of this network demonstrate the expanding reach of PM SHRI Schools.

Selection Built on Quality Benchmarks

Selection of PM SHRI schools is done through Challenge Mode, wherein Schools compete for support to become exemplar schools. Selection is done through a three-stage process with definite timelines, which is as follows:

•Stage 1: Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

States and Union Territories (UTs) enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre, outlining their commitments towards providing the requisite support and enabling the selected schools to achieve the prescribed quality standards for PM SHRI Schools.

•Stage 2: Identification of Eligible Schools

A pool of schools eligible for selection as PM SHRI Schools is identified on the basis of prescribed minimum benchmarks and relevant indicators available through the UDISE+ data.

•Stage 3: Selection through the Challenge Method

Eligible schools identified in Stage 2 participate in a challenge-based selection process to demonstrate compliance with specified criteria. Schools compete against the prescribed challenge conditions, with fulfilment of the stipulated requirements.

•Fulfillment of conditions is verified and certified through physical inspection by the respective States/UTs, KVS, or NVS authorities, and recommend the list of schools to the Ministry.

An Expert Committee headed by the Secretary (SE&L), at the Ministry of Education, is constituted for final selection of schools. Schools must meet minimum standards such as a pucca building, barrier-free access, safety measures, separate toilets, drinking water, hand-washing facilities, electricity, ID cards for teachers, enrolment at Elementary and Senior Secondary levels must be more than the State average enrolment and library or sports facilities. For the Challenge Method, schools in urban areas are required to secure a minimum score of 70 percent, while schools in rural areas require a minimum of 60 percent. The assessment covers infrastructure, learning outcomes, pedagogy, PM POSHAN, vocational education, green initiatives, and stakeholder commitment.

Schools as Models for Wider Change

PM SHRI represents a paradigm shift from an infrastructure-centric approach to school development towards the establishment of holistic, inclusive, equitable, and future-ready learning institutions. The initiative operationalises the vision and priorities of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by emphasising quality and competency-based learning, continuous teacher professional development, technology-enabled education, and the creation of a safe, inclusive, and enabling school environment.

As exemplar institutions, PM SHRI Schools are envisaged to demonstrate and disseminate innovative educational practices that can be adapted and replicated by neighbouring schools, thereby contributing to broader systemic improvements in school education. The overarching objective is to foster capable, confident, creative, and responsible learners, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values required to participate meaningfully in a more equitable, inclusive, and future-ready India.

References

Ministry of Education

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2290004&reg=48&lang=2

https://pmshri.education.gov.in/#aboutPmshri

https://pmshri.education.gov.in/assets/pdf/part1_pmshri.pdf

https://pmshri.education.gov.in/faqs

https://pmshri.education.gov.in/#main-content

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2291330&reg=1&lang=1

https://education.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/education/policies-and-schemes/pm-schools-for-rising-india-scheme?lgn=en

https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/271/AU1144_1PgQNc.pdf?source=pqars

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2291279&reg=1&lang=1

https://x.com/EduMinOfIndia/status/1567485212476702721

NITI Aayog

https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-05/School-Education-System-in-India.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Click here to see pdf

PIB Research

Official source

[Read the original PIB release](https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2308156)

Source attribution: Press Information Bureau, Government of India.