Ministry of Tribal Affairs has made 51 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) functional during last three years.
Including the new ones, currently, 161 EMRS are functional while the number of functional EMRS was 110 in 2013-14. Over 52,000 tribal students are taking education in 161 EMR Schools of 26 States.
In order to boost educational opportunities for Scheduled Tribe (ST) children across the states, the Government in next five years seeks to extend the facility of EMRSs in all 672 Blocks where ST population is more than 50% of the total population.
The Government’s plan is in line with the guidelines. According to the guidelines, 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 has been earmarked at Rs 12 crore with a provision to go up to Rs 16 crore in hill areas, deserts and islands.
Eklavya Model Residential School Scheme was started in 1998 with its first school in Maharashtra in the year 2000. During last 17 years, a total of 259 schools have been sanctioned during the last 17 years, out of which, 72 EMRS were sanctioned during last three years.
