Haryana HCS Officers to Adopt Schools Under PM SHRI Scheme for Educational Enhancement
In a significant move to bolster school education and infrastructure, senior administrative officers of the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) will now adopt select schools under the central government's PM SHRI scheme. This initiative aims to strengthen academic environments across the state, with each adopted school receiving substantial financial support for upgrades.
Financial Allocation and Implementation Directives
Each adopted school will be granted up to Rs 2 crore annually for a period of two years. This funding is designated for enhancing facilities and improving the overall learning atmosphere. During a recent review meeting, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi issued directives to ensure the effective execution of this plan.
Authorities have been instructed to establish district-level committees, which will be headed by deputy commissioners and additional deputy commissioners. These committees are tasked with assessing infrastructure and academic gaps in the selected schools and developing strategies to address them.
Field Visits and Priority Areas
Officials have been directed to conduct field visits to evaluate school facilities and identify priority areas for funding. The primary objective is to reinforce academic infrastructure and ensure optimal utilization of resources, transforming these institutions into model schools. Additionally, Rastogi emphasized the urgent need to fill all teaching and non-teaching staff vacancies in PM SHRI schools on a priority basis.
Recognition and Awards for Excellence
The state government plans to honor the top-performing schools on Independence Day. Awards will be presented to the three best-performing PM SHRI schools and three Model Sanskriti schools, based on criteria such as academic performance, infrastructure development, and innovative teaching practices. To facilitate this, education department officials have been instructed to form evaluation and selection committees at both district and divisional levels to identify the leading institutions.
Current Coverage and Budget Details
So far, 250 schools across Haryana have been selected under various phases of the PM SHRI scheme. This includes 124 schools in the first phase, 111 in the second, six in the third, and nine in the fifth phase, ensuring broad regional coverage. Out of the 143 development blocks in the state, 137 have already been included in the initiative. Among these, 113 blocks have two PM SHRI schools each—typically comprising one senior secondary school and one primary or secondary school—while the remaining 24 blocks have one such school.
For the financial year 2025–26, the scheme has an approved budget of Rs 191.6 crore. Of this amount, Rs 95.8 crore has been sanctioned, with approximately Rs 29.78 crore expended to date.
Focus on Sustainable and Modern Infrastructure
The selected schools are being developed as green campuses, incorporating features such as solar power plants, LED lighting, water conservation systems, nutrition gardens, and waste management facilities. Emphasis is also placed on modern educational tools, including smart classrooms, digital resources, and experiential learning methods, to create a holistic and advanced learning environment.
