Kerala awaits over ₹1,100 crore in education funds as govt withholds payment

Kerala Minister for General Education V Sivankutty said that the state is entitled to ₹1,186.84 crore, including arrears, as the Union government's share for the growth of the public education sector.

For the 2023–24 academic year, the Union government's share of the arrears amounts to ₹280.58 crore, and for the 2024–25 academic year, it is ₹513.54 crore.

For the 2025–26 academic year, ₹654.54 crore has been approved.

The minister claimed on March 18, that the Union government had refused to release the state's fair share because the state had not signed the PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) agreement.

The Union government was withholding funds for Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) while praising the state for hosting the Kerala School Sports Meet as an inclusive event.

PM SHRI was not part of the Samagra Shiksha guidelines, and the Union government failed to address the state’s legitimate concerns regarding the scheme.

The impact was even greater on children with disabilities, as funding for their education and support services, including therapy and assistive technology, was withheld.

The minister emphasized that the Union government should stop undermining the inclusive Kerala model, which has been successfully providing high-quality education.