Overview

• Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the decision has been conveyed to the Centre and directed the department secretary to sign the MoU after conferring with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• The state cites roughly ₹1,446–₹1,500 crore in pending education transfers, with officials warning that earlier non-participation led to frozen Samagra Shiksha funds.
• Kerala asserts that joining the scheme will not trigger NEP-driven syllabus or policy changes and that curricular autonomy will be maintained.
• CPI leaders criticized the step as fiscally unbeneficial and politically incorrect, and reports say the move proceeded without formal cabinet approval.
• PM SHRI would select two schools per block for upgrades worth about ₹1 crore annually for five years, though required branding and conditions have raised concerns among critics.