Kerala Minister Confirms Curriculum Autonomy Despite PM SHRI MoU: Central Funding Secured Without Syllabus Change

The Kerala General Education Minister, V. Sivankutty, has issued a definitive statement clarifying that the state's educational curriculum will retain its complete autonomy, despite the government's recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Centre’s PM SHRI schools scheme. The assurance was delivered amidst a flurry of criticism from both opposition parties and key allies, who had voiced concerns about a potential surrender of the state’s educational sovereignty to central influence.

The Minister emphasized that the decision to participate in the PM SHRI scheme was purely administrative and financial, aimed solely at securing central funding to facilitate essential infrastructure development and enhance the overall academic quality within Kerala’s schools. He firmly dismissed claims suggesting the move would compromise the state’s well-established syllabus or lead to the introduction of external ideological content.

Rejection of Ideological Influence Claims

The controversy was fueled by accusations, notably from an opposition party leader, suggesting that the scheme would soon necessitate the inclusion of figures like Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in Kerala's textbooks. Sivankutty categorically rejected these claims, labeling them as "false propaganda for political purposes" designed to create public confusion within the state's education sector.

The Minister emphatically stated that Kerala possesses a robust curriculum and academic vision independent of the central government's alleged attempts to distort historical narratives or communalize education. He reinforced the state’s commitment to historical truth, declaring that the fact of Nathuram Vinayak Godse assassinating Mahatma Gandhi would not be erased from Kerala’s textbooks, underscoring the state’s deep-rooted commitment to factual and balanced education. The curriculum, he reiterated, will not be surrendered to the Centre.

Federal Autonomy Confirmed by Central Ministry

Adding weight to Kerala’s stance, a Union Minister supported the state’s position, confirming that the Centre is not imposing any conditions or policy changes on Kerala through the PM SHRI scheme. The statement asserted that states retain the freedom to decline aspects such as the National Education Policy (NEP) or vocational classes if they choose to do so, reinforcing the principle that nothing is being forcibly implemented. This high-level confirmation helps to quell fears that the MoU necessitates wholesale adoption of the central government’s educational framework.

Opposition Scrutiny Over Funding Rationale

Despite these assurances, the opposition Congress party has seized on the financial aspects of the decision, questioning the rationale behind signing the MoU. Opposition leaders pointed to prior claims by state officials that Kerala’s public schools had already achieved "international standards" through substantial funding from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The opposition has challenged the government to reconcile these claims of robust financial health and advanced infrastructure with the decision to "surrender" to a central scheme ostensibly designed to plug financial and infrastructural gaps.

Ultimately, the Kerala government’s position is a delicate balancing act: securing necessary central funds for physical infrastructure and academic enrichment while strongly protecting its decades-old tradition of educational autonomy and its distinct curriculum from external political or ideological encroachment. The Education Minister’s firm public stance is designed to assure parents, teachers, and political allies that the sanctity of Kerala’s syllabus remains paramount.