Bengaluru: PM Shri schools in Karnataka have achieved 84% of all the components mandated under the scheme, well below the national average of 92%.Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM Shri) is a centrally sponsored scheme through which around 14,500 existing schools are selected to become exemplar schools. These schools are to showcase all the initiatives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood. In Karnataka, 585 schools are currently PM Shri schools, with over 2 lakh students enrolled in them. PM Shri schools need to have 21 components, such as a computer lab/ICT lab/smart classrooms, a library with good furniture, Internet facility, vocational skill education, guidance and career counselling, a fully equipped integrated science lab/physics lab/chemistry lab/biology lab, furniture availability, and a playground with well-equipped sports facilities. Other facilities include a school innovation council, a youth and eco club for Mission Life, Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) features, and jaadui pitara (a learning toolkit for primary school children), 10 bagless days for students, and software for tracking children’s attendance. (See box for remaining criteria)As per data submitted in the Lok Sabha, Karnataka’s percentage saturation of the 21 NEP components is 84%, as against the national average of 92%. Many states have crossed 90%, with Chandigarh (100%), Assam (97%), Andhra Pradesh (97%), Sikkim (97%), and Lakshadweep (97%) among the best performers. Karnataka falls in the mid-to-lower tier among the listed states, performing better than a few states such as Bihar (61%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (79%), and Jharkhand (82%). “The gap will be filled in the coming years as the projects for schools that are to have full compliance will be presented before the next project approval boards,” said an education department official. As per the reply, Karnataka was provided about Rs 6.8 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 10.8 crore in 2024-25 to build the green school initiative. PM Shri schools are to be turned into green schools by incorporating environment-friendly aspects such as rainwater harvesting, energy efficiency using solar panels and LED lighting, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic-free practices, water conservation and harvesting, among other initiatives. It may be recalled that Kerala and Tamil Nadu are not part of the PM Shri scheme. BOXCriteria to be PM Shri SchoolClean drinking water Fully functioning handwashing facility and toilets Girls’ toilets with facility of functional vending machine for sanitary pads Self-defence training sessions for girls Green school features Capacity building of school principal/teachers Use of TLM (Teaching and Learning Materials) in teaching Issuance of ID cards to teachers and students
