Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a plan to set up 462 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across the country on September 12. The schools will focus on providing quality upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students.

“These Eklavya schools will not only serve as a medium of education for tribal children but there will also be facilities for sports and skill development along with protection of local arts and culture. In these schools, the government will spend more than Rs 1 lakh a year on every tribal child,” the PM said.

Background

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is the nodal ministry for the overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes for development of STs.

One of the important educational interventions by MoTA is establishing Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).

EMRS was started in 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas in order to enable them to avail of opportunities in professional courses and get employment in various sectors.

EMRS for ST students are set up in states / UTs with provisioning of funds through Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution.

The establishing of EMRS is based on demand of the concerned states / UTs with availability of land as an essential attribute.

As per Budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by 2022.

Across the country, as per Census 2011 figures, there are 564 sub-districts - blocks / talukas / tehsils - having more than 50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons.

Out of these sub-districts, at present 102 sub-districts have EMRSs and the rest 462 sub-districts do not have an EMRS.

Of the 462 new EMRSs, 92 will be established in Odisha. Seventy such schools will come up in Jharkhand, 50 in Chhattisgarh and 40 in Madhya Pradesh, according to ministry data.

Eklavya schools will be on par with Navodaya Vidyalayas and will have special facilities for preserving local art and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development.

Apart from school building including hostels and staff quarters, provision for a playground, students’ computer lab, teacher resource room etc are also included in the EMRSs.