Tribal Education Boost: 1.38 Lakh Students Enrolled in EMRS in India

1.38 lakh students are being given education in 479 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal children being run across the country, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, in his response, stated besides 288 EMRSs sanctioned under Article 275(1), 440 more EMRSs have been planned across the nation, taking the sanctioned number of EMRSs to 728, out of which 479 have been reportedly made operational up to June 2025.

He briefed that a non-governmental organization National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has been established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for administration and implementation of EMRS scheme in co-ordination with State EMRS Societies.

The Minister told that in Union Budget 2018-19 it was announced that for providing quality education to tribal children in their native environment, EMRS' would be established in every block with over 50 per cent Scheduled Tribe population and a population of 20,000 minimum tribal population (as per Census 2011).

Oram also apprised that certain steps had been taken towards filling infrastructural gaps in EMRSs through accelerating the construction, improving quality monitoring mechanisms, and arranging essential facilities such as hostels, classrooms, and staff quarters in a timely manner.

He also stated that the cost of construction of EMRSs was upgraded in 2021–22 to Rs 37.80 crore for plain areas and Rs 48 crore for hilly regions (from erstwhile Rs 20 crore and Rs 24 crore) for 440 new sanctioned schools.

The Minister also stated that in order to rectify the problem of dropouts among the students and facilitate retention, NESTS, under State governments, has been proactive in engaging the tribal population in admitting them to EMRSs by raising awareness about the schools by participating in camps and outreach programs.

Among the measures included are assisting tribes by constructing school buildings in most distant locations and establishing vocational courses to enable pupils to acquire skills that will remain relevant in the labor market.