Thiruvananthapuram – Kerala’s General Education Minister, V Sivankutty, recently reiterated that the National Education Policy (NEP) explicitly grants states the power to publish their own school textbooks. He stressed that there’s no cause for concern regarding potential central interference in the curriculum.
The minister’s statement comes in the wake of Kerala’s recent decision to join the PM SHRI scheme. Sivankutty defended this move by highlighting that many aspects of the National Education Policy are already being implemented in the state.
“The signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) clearly states that we can withdraw from this agreement at any time,” Sivankutty informed reporters. “This withdrawal process requires discussions and consensus between both parties. If a mutual agreement isn’t reached, we also have the option to seek legal recourse in court.”
Emphasizing Kerala’s unwavering commitment to the long-standing educational policies of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), Sivankutty dismissed claims by BJP leader K Surendran that state textbooks would soon feature lessons on RSS leaders, calling such notions a mere pipe dream.
He firmly restated that the power to publish school textbooks remains with the states, alleviating any anxieties about external mandates.
Sivankutty further explained that the government’s primary concern is the welfare of the 47 lakh students in Kerala, particularly ensuring that central funding for underprivileged and marginalized communities continues uninterrupted.
To support his assertions, the minister’s office later released a Malayalam translation of an interview with Sanjay Kumar, the Union Secretary of School Education and Literacy, conducted by a local TV channel.
In this statement, Kumar confirmed that Kerala had engaged in multiple discussions with the Centre regarding the PM SHRI scheme. The Centre had initially indicated that funding for Sarva Shiksha Kerala would only be released if the state formally joined the program.
Following these talks, Kerala provided a letter of consent during the initial phase, according to Kumar.
The Union Secretary also clarified that the Centre consistently maintained that implementing the NEP is not a mandatory requirement under the PM SHRI scheme.
The statement highlighted Kumar’s remarks, affirming that Kerala retains complete autonomy to align with its own educational policies, and the PM SHRI agreement does not, in any way, restrict this freedom.
“His response offers a clear assurance that the NEP’s implementation is not compulsory under the PM SHRI scheme,” the education minister’s office concluded in its release.
However, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, raised questions about the timeline. He pointed out that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on October 10.
“The PM SHRI agreement was signed on October 16,” Satheesan stated to reporters in Kochi. “The Chief Minister must account for what transpired in Delhi on October 10. What kind of deal was struck? Who was attempting to exert pressure on the Chief Minister?”
Satheesan further alleged that during a cabinet meeting on October 22, both the Chief Minister and the Education Minister remained silent when the CPI voiced opposition to the agreement.
“They even misled their own cabinet colleagues,” the Leader of the Opposition claimed.