Overview

• Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the state has formally informed the Union government of its decision and instructed the department secretary to sign the MoU after recent meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• The government cites about Rs 1,446–1,500 crore in pending central support, including Samagra Shiksha dues, to sustain salaries, student support and school upgrades.
• The CPI, a key LDF partner, opposes the move as fiscally unwise and politically damaging, arguing PM SHRI expires in 2026–27 with no retrospective payouts and risks being read as acquiescence to the NEP.
• Kerala maintains that joining the scheme will not alter its education policy and that it will reject NEP-linked directions it has opposed, including syllabus and history content changes.
• Officials and reports flag uncertainty over the size and timing of releases and Kerala’s capacity to provide matching funds, and one account says the step proceeded without placing the matter before the full Cabinet.