No change in Kerala’s curriculum due to PM SHRI scheme, clarifies Minister Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday reiterated that the state’s decision to sign the PM SHRI Schools Scheme Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will not result in any change to Kerala’s curriculum or academic autonomy.

His clarification comes amid criticism from the CPI and allegations by the Congress that the move was part of a “political conspiracy.”

In a statement, Sivankutty dismissed former BJP state president K Surendran’s claim that the state would include RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in its syllabus as “false propaganda for political purposes.”

“The BJP leader is making such absurd statements as he has no understanding of the state's education policy,” the minister said.

Sivankutty stressed that the MoU was signed solely to access central funds for improving school infrastructure and academic standards, and not to alter the state’s syllabus.

“It will not result in surrendering the state's syllabus to the central government,” he asserted.

The minister further said that Kerala has its own strong curriculum and academic vision, and the PM SHRI scheme will not bring any shift towards a central syllabus.

“The Centre's alleged attempts to distort history and communalise education will not work in Kerala, as the historical truth that Nathuram Vinayak Godse assassinated the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, will not be erased from state textbooks,” he added.

Sivankutty also clarified that there was no plan to include Hedgewar or Savarkar in Kerala’s textbooks, calling Surendran’s remarks “an attempt to create confusion in the public education sector.”

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs George Kurian said that the PM SHRI scheme does not impose any restrictions on Kerala’s education system.

“Nothing has been imposed on Kerala under the PM SHRI scheme, and the state is free to decide its own school curriculum. If they do not want the National Education Policy or vocational classes, they are free to go that way. Nothing is being forced upon them,” Kurian told reporters in Thrissur.

However, the opposition Congress questioned the state government’s decision to join the scheme despite repeatedly asserting that there was no financial crisis in Kerala.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said the government’s move contradicted its own claims.

“While Sivankutty claims a lack of funds in his department, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state Finance Minister (K N Balagopal) have been asserting that there is no financial crisis in Kerala. They also claim that all public schools have improved to international standards through KIIFB funds. Then why surrender to the scheme?” Satheesan asked.