Union government to establish 440 Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per[...]

The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durga Das Uikey informed in Rajya Sabha today that the Central Sector Scheme of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment.

Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model.

Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country. To ensure quality education and holistic development for tribal students following facilities are being provided in EMRSs: -

Educational Infrastructure:

1. • Well-equipped classrooms with modern teaching aids.
   • Science and computer laboratories.
   • Libraries with diverse learning resources.
2. Accommodation and Amenities:
   • Residential facilities for students and staff.
   • Separate hostels for boys and girls with essential amenities like bedding, furniture, and hygiene facilities.

3. Sports and Extracurricular Facilities:

• Playgrounds and sports equipment.
  • Facilities for extracurricular activities like music, art, and sports

1. Health and Nutrition:
   • Regular health check-ups and medical facilities.

1. IT and Digital Learning:
   • Smart classrooms for digital education.
   • Computer labs with internet access.

1. Vocational Training:
   • Skill development and vocational training programs to enhance employability.

Further, National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has been established as an autonomous body under this Ministry to manage and implement scheme of EMRS. NESTS has organized Principals' Conclave bringing together all Principals of EMRSs from across the country for orientation in the areas of academic management, mental health, safety, HR matters etc. and the conclave enriched their knowledge and professional skills. NESTS has also empowered State societies to impart induction training to Teacher's towards residential culture and academic transactions.

The Ministry is implementing several initiatives in collaboration with other government bodies to provide tribal students with access to digital and skill-based education while maintaining the traditional curriculum. These initiatives include:

i) Establishment of Smart classrooms equipped with digital boards in partnership with ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to enhance digital learning in tribal schools.

ii) Setting-up of 400 Skill Labs in 200 EMRSs in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) to provide hands-on vocational training and industry-relevant skills to students.

iii) Provision of online coaching sessions for IIT-JEE and NEET, along with recorded lectures tailored for Class 11 and 12 students, in collaboration with PACE- IIT & Medical. Additionally, special classes and focused training modules are provided to support both high-performing and academically weaker students.

iv) Allocation of a dedicated DTH channel by NCERT to enhance both curricular and extracurricular learning, including vocational education, ensuring wider accessibility for students in remote areas.

Additionally, to preserve and promote traditional curricula, regional language teachers have been recruited to support language learning and cultural continuity.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing following Scholarship Schemes to promote and encourage basic and higher education amongst ST population: -

• Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class IX and X)
• Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class XI and above)
• National Scholarship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students (earlier known as Top Class Scholarship Scheme): Scholarship is provided for pursuing Graduate/Post Graduate courses in the 265 top-class Government and Non-Government Institutes in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology, Law etc.
• National Fellowship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students: Scholarship to meritorious ST students for pursuing M. Phil or Ph.D. in India
• National Overseas Scholarship for ST students: Scholarships are given to the meritorious Schedule Tribe (ST) students for pursuing higher education abroad. Pre and Post matric Scholarships scheme are open ended and every ST student with income up to 2.5 lakh can take benefit of these schemes.

Additionally, to encourage students to pursue higher studies, instructions have been issued to state societies to cover the application fees for national-level entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE, CLAT, etc., for students studying in Class XII in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). The cost of these application fees is to be borne by the respective State EMRS Societies, thereby reducing the financial burden on students and their families.

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RN/PIB

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