Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] in Kerala, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has come under intense scrutiny for a dramatic policy reversal, approving the implementation of the Central government’s PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme after a period of firm opposition.
The decision marks the latest in a series of “U-turns” by the CPM on major educational policies, prompting widespread criticism regarding the party’s historical stance of opposing central initiatives only to adopt them later.
Financial Constraint Drives the Shift
The Pinarayi Vijayan government has justified its abrupt change in policy, arguing that the decision was necessary to secure crucial Central funding. The government stated that approving the PM SHRI scheme was the only viable path to release an estimated ₹1,466 crore in Central funds, which includes ₹1,148 crore in arrears owed to the state’s Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) project.
This move was reportedly made to secure the money that the Centre was allegedly withholding, forcing the state’s hand despite staunch initial resistance and opposition from its own coalition partner, the CPI. Critics, however, point out that states like Tamil Nadu chose to legally challenge the Central government’s pressure tactics rather than concede.
A History of Policy Reversals
The political landscape in Kerala is rife with examples of the CPM’s policy shifts, often initiated after its student wing, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), has led massive protests against the same projects.
- Plus Two (Pre-Degree Separation): In the 1980s, the CPM and SFI launched widespread, often violent, protests against the Congress government’s move to implement the Plus Two system. Yet, upon gaining power in 1987, the LDF government went ahead and implemented the exact same system.
- Self-Financing Colleges: The CPM vehemently opposed the introduction of self-financing educational institutions, with senior party leaders, including Mr. Vijayan, publicly stating their commitment to a policy of no private colleges. However, the LDF later authorized a wide range of self-financing institutions upon assuming office, including ones established under the cooperative sector by party affiliates.
The decision to adopt PM SHRI—a flagship scheme of the Modi administration—is viewed by many as the newest chapter in the CPM’s policy paradox, fueling accusations that the party prioritizes political expediency over consistent ideological commitment, potentially at the cost of educational reform stagnation in the state.
