New Delhi, December 24, 2020.

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda inaugurated the new office of National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the presence of Shri Deepak Khandekar, Secretary Tribal Affairs at Jeevan Tara Building, Sansad Marg, New Delhi today.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Arjun Munda highlighted the importance being accorded by the Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister for provision of quality education to tribal students.  He said that Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is a flagship intervention of the Ministry to provide quality education to students in the remote tribal areas through state-of-the-art infrastructure and quality educational facilities.  By the year 2022, there is target of establishing 740 EMRSs across the country covering every block with 50% or more ST population and 20,000 or more tribal persons, which where 3.5 lakh tribal students will take education.

Sh. Khandekar briefed the Minister about the achievements of EMRS students in the field of sports, cultural and academics and about Sudha Painuli is the vice-principal of EMRS-Kalsi, Dehradun, who was selected for National Award to Teachers (NAT) 2020..\

The Minister also reviewed the progress of construction of schools.  Dr Naval Jit Kapoor, Jt Secy Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Sh. Asit Gopal, Commissioner, EMRS gave presentation and briefed the Minister about the issues pertaining to construction status, land availability, recruitment of teachers and problems concerning each State.  As on date, a total of 575 EMRSs have been sanctioned and 285 EMRSs are functional across the country. The progress of functional and construction status is updated monthly on dashboard of the Ministry (dashboard.tribal.gov.in).   Hon’ble Minister advised the officers that all parameters regarding progress of these schools should be reviewed on weekly basis so as to achieve the target of 740 schools on 75^th Anniversary of Indian Independence. 

The scheme of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) was introduced in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education exclusively to ST children to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students.  In 2014, there were only 164 EMRS sanctioned out of which 120 were functional under scheme of Grants u/s 275 (1) of Constitution.  However, in December 2018 it was formulated into a new scheme under which 452 new schools will be established by 2022 resulting in total 740 schools across country.  Out of these 452 new schools, 287 schools have been sanctioned in last year. The recurring cost per student per annum was enhanced from Rs 42000/- in 2013-14 to Rs. 61500/- in 2017-18, which was subsequently enhanced to Rs. 1,09,000/- in December 2018. These schools will be managed by National Education Society (NEST), which was set up in April’2019.

Over the years, EMRSs have become an island of excellence in the remote tribal hinterlands attracting large number of tribal children. The focus under the scheme is to ensure holistic development of the students in both academic and extracurricular sphere. Efforts are being taken to improve the quality of education in the schools, through capacity building of teachers, leadership development of principals, introduction of online education etc. The EMRSs have become beacon of successes in the tribal areas and emerging as a premier institution of Nation Building.