14-Dec-2022: National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) organized two-day online workshop in collaboration with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) on e-learning platform developed for EMRS students

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) collaborated with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) to develop an e-learning platform i.e., Eklavya Learning Management System (ELMS) to enable a comprehensive learning environment for students in EMRSs. In phase – 1, the two-day online training program was organized on 12th& 13th December, 2022 for 52 nominated teachers from across the country. The nominated teachers shall act as master trainers who shall be rolling out the training programme, pan-India in next phase.

As a part of this collaboration, CDAC has developed ELMS that shall render learning content in various e-formats like Audio, Video, Online Lab, Quizzes etc. that can be accessed by both students and teachers. Also, amongst plethora of unique features, the system allows teacher to create new courses and assignments by adding Textbook Pdfs, Audio-Video Files on any particular chapter. The purpose of the workshop was to implement of ELMS in every school by these master trainers and also train others teachers of the State/UT.

The workshop session included brief about the ELMS project, demo of ELMS app, installation of ELMS app on mobile/tablet, Course demo from ELMS Portal and enroll user in course, demo of upload content in a course & demo for communication tools like announcements/forum, chats etc. NESTS believes that the modernized technology, ELMS will effectively contribute towards ensuring blended learning in all EMRSs spanned across the country.

1-Feb-2021: MoU signed with 21 States/UTs for better functioning of Eklavya Model Residential Schools

An MoU was signed today between the Kerala State Eklavya Model Residential School Society and the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) for effective management of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Kerala. The MoU was signed by Shri Puneet Kumar, Principal Secretary, Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala and Shri. Asit Gopal, Commissioner, NESTS in the presence of Dr. Naval Jit Kapoor, Joint Secretary (EMRS), Ministry of Tribal Affairs in New Delhi today.

Out of 28 States, where EMRSs are being established, the NESTS has executed MoUs with 21 State/UT Governments as on date including Government of Kerala.  The signing of the MoU is the first step towards positioning of EMRSs as harbinger of tribal education in the remote tribal hinterlands and it would bring all States on a uniform and mutually agreed platform.

In his message, Sh. Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs said that with the overarching vision of the Prime Minister to usher all round development in tribal areas, the scheme of EMRSs was revamped in 2018-19 to improve the geographical outreach of the programme and introduce several qualitative changes to improve learning outcomes in the schools. By the year 2022, there is a target of establishing 740 EMRSs across the country covering every block with 50% or more ST population and 20,000 or more tribal persons, benefitting around 3.5 lakh tribal students.

In her message, Smt Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State said that with this strategic partnership with State Governments, efforts are being taken to ensure holistic development of the students in both academic and extracurricular sphere will bear fruits. The EMRSs have become beacon of success in the tribal areas and emerging as a premier institution of Nation Building.

Sh. R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary Ministry of Tribal Affairs in his message conveyed that as part of revamping of the programme, several systemic changes have been introduced including construction of schools by central agencies, CBSE affiliation of the schools, recruitment of regular teaching and non-teaching staff, designing of school uniforms, capacity building of teachers, leadership development of principals, introduction of online/digital technologies in the schools.

Sh. Puneet Kumar, Principal Secretary ST development department, speaking on the occasion thanked the Ministry of Tribal affairs, Government of India for the overwhelming support through EMRS Scheme on behalf of the Government of Kerala and said that he looked forward to continued cooperation and support for the benefit of the tribal students by improving standards of teaching and improvements in Infrastructure of EMRSs.

EMRSs are a flagship intervention of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to provide quality education to tribal students in remote tribal areas. The programme being implemented since 1998 have created a niche in the tribal education landscape of the country. However, the scheme was revamped in 2018 to improve the geographical outreach of the programme and introduce several qualitative changes to improve learning outcomes in the schools.

Currently there are 588 schools sanctioned across the country in 28 States/UT with around 73391 students enrolled in the Schools. Another 152 schools shall be sanctioned by the year 2022. Details of the schools can be seen on the dashboard of the Ministry available at www.dashboard.tribal.gov.in.

NESTS was established in April, 2019 as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to run and manage the schools. Ever since then, In order to ensure adequate availability of financial resources in the schools, the recurring cost per annum per student was enhanced to Rs. 1,09,000.00 in 2018-19 from the existing unit cost of Rs. 61,500.00 in 2017-18.With the increase in recurring cost and the construction grant it was imperative that the qualitative improvements in the running and management of the schools are initiated simultaneously. With the execution of MoU, the schools shall be eligible for higher recurring costs so as to ensure qualitative improvements in the schools.

17-Dec-2018: Eklavya Model Residential Schools

In the context of establishing quality residential schools for the promotion of education, Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) 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 EMRSs are based on demand of the concerned States/UTs with availability of land as an essential attribute.  As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.

Across the country, as per census 2011 figures, there are 564 sub-districts, i.e. blocks/taluka/tehsils, having more than 50% 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. Out of this, there are 13 sub-districts in Assam without an EMRS and these are listed below:- 

Four (04) EMRSs sanctioned to the State of Assam till date are as under: 

(c)A total of 284 EMRSs have been sanctioned till date. The State-wise details are as under:

As per extant guidelines, the capital cost for setting up the school complex, including hostels and staff quarters etc. has been earmarked as Rs. 12.00 Crore with a provision to go up to Rs.16.00 Crore in hill areas, deserts and islands. The Ministry also provides Rs. 61,500/- per student per year towards recurring cost for these EMRSs.

13-Jun-2017: 51 EMR schools made functional during the last three years

Ministry of Tribal Affairs has actively initiated various efforts to make more Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) functional. As a result, 51 new EMRS were made functional during the last three years. 161 EMR Schools are functional right now, while this figure was at 110 in the year 2013-14. More than 52 thousand tribal students are taking education in 161 EMR Schools of 26 States.

Eklavya Model Residential School Scheme was started in 1998 and first school was started in the year 2000 in Maharashtra. A total of 259 schools have been sanctioned during the last 17 years, out of which, 72 EMRS were sanctioned during last three years. EMRSs have been functioning as institutions of excellence for tribal students. Results of these schools have been generally better than other Government schools in the tribal areas. Average pass percentage of students in Class Xth and XIIth in these EMRS is above 90%. Many EMRS students have been reported to be faring well in higher studies and competitive examinations.

In order to further educational opportunities for more ST children, Government seeks to extend the facility of EMRSs in all the 672 Blocks where ST population is more than 50% of the total population in a span of next five years.

As per existing EMRS Guidelines of 2010, at least one EMRS is to be set up in each Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) / Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) having 50% ST population in the area. The capital cost for setting up the school complex, including hostels and staff quarters etc. has been earmarked at Rs. 12 crore with a provision to go up to Rs.16 crore in hill areas, deserts and islands. Recurring cost during the first year for these schools would be Rs. 42000/-per child, with a provision of raising it by 10% every second year to compensate for inflation etc.