UDF against PM-SHRI, but options being examined, says Keralam Education Minister

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The Keralam government has not decided whether to proceed with the controversial PM SHRI scheme, despite a fresh letter from the Centre seeking action on an agreement signed by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, General Education Minister N. Samsudheen said here on Saturday.

He said the United Democratic Front (UDF) was opposed to PM SHRI, but the government was examining its options over the agreement signed by the previous government. The matter is being discussed at various levels and will come up before a Cabinet subcommittee next week, he said.

The Minister said the entire UDF opposed PM-SHRI, not just the Indian Union Muslim League and Muslim Youth League. While the government is bound to consider the agreement signed by its predecessor, it does not imply that PM SHRI will be implemented, he added.

Mr. Samsudheen said allegations that students had used performance-enhancing drugs at the school sports meet were serious. He said the Director of General Education was asked to conduct an inquiry. The Minister said the Director’s transfer would not affect the inquiry and that the department would ensure a proper investigation. Any attempt to encourage students to use performance-enhancing drugs instead of developing their natural abilities would be taken seriously, he said. If teachers were involved, the matter would be treated even more seriously and strict action would follow, he added.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.