Around 9,000 schools from across India have been shortlisted for the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) programme, according to officials from the Ministry of Education.

The schools were selected from over 2.5 lakh government schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, which were found eligible to apply for the tag.

The selection process was based on six broad parameters, including curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment; access and infrastructure; human resources leadership; inclusive practices and gender equity; management, monitoring, and governance; and beneficiary satisfaction.

The PM SHRI programme is a new centrally sponsored scheme that aims to develop more than 14,500 schools across the country by strengthening select existing schools being managed by all forms of governments.

The PM SHRI schools aim to deliver quality teaching for the cognitive development of students and create and nurture well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st-century skills.

However, seven states are yet to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Education Ministry to upgrade their schools under the PM-SHRI scheme. These states include Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Jharkhand.

The education ministry has urged these states to adopt the scheme and ensure quality education for all students.

The effective implementation of this scheme will enable the depiction of all components of NEP to ensure quality education for students and enable these PM SHRI schools to represent exemplary schools for quality education in the country.

The education ministry is expected to make an announcement regarding the names of the selected schools soon.