Eklavya schools for tribal students get short shrift in teacher recruitments

Eklavya schools for tribal students get short shrift in teacher recruitments

Subject: Government schemes

Context: Despite sanctioning record numbers of Eklavya model residential schools for tribal students since 2014 and setting up of the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) to manage these schools in 2018, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has so far been unable to fix the teacher shortage faced across 378 of such schools that are currently functional

• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) started in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas.
• The schools focus not only on academic education but on the all-round development of the students.
• The objective of EMRS is to provide quality middle and high level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas, not only to enable them to avail of reservation in high and professional educational courses and as jobs in government and public and private sectors but also to have access to the best opportunities in education at par with the non ST population.
• Each school has a capacity of 480 students, catering to students from Class VI to XII.
• These are being set up by grants provided under Article 275(1) of the Constitution.
• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) are funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• In order to give further impetus to EMRS, it has been decided that by the year 2022, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an EMRS.
• Eklavya schools are on par with NavodayaVidyalaya and have special facilities for preserving local art and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS)

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization established under Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). The Institution was created to provide high quality education to the tribal students in their own environment.