Lok Sabha Question No. 1999 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Tribals in Central University
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DINESH TRIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1999 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  NOVEMBER, 2016

## Tribals in Central University

## 1999. SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of tribals who have access to education and details of their enrolment in the primary education in the country;

(b)  the  number  of  vacancies  in  Scheduled  Tribe  (ST)  seats  set  aside  for  tribals  in  central universities and the number of such vacancies out of the total allocation of seats;

(c) whether the Ministry is aware that there is a low transition of tribals moving from primary to higher education; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Ministry to improve the numbers?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a):  As  per  Unified  District  Information  System for Education  (UDISE), 2014-15, students belonging  to  Scheduled  Tribe  (ST)  community  form  10.83%  of  the  total  enrolment  at  the primary level in all schools (Govt., aided and private). This is more than their share in the population which is 8.6% (as per Census 2011).

The  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  provides  for children's access to elementary schools within the defined area or limits of neighbourhood. Further,  the  Act  places  a  compulsion on  the  State  to  ensure  that  no  child  from  the  weaker sections or disadvantaged groups is discriminated against in any manner or prevented from pursuing and completing elementary education. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which is the key vehicle to implement the RTE Act provides for opening of a primary and upper primary school within a walking distance of one and three kilometer  respectively.  Under  the  SSA,  near  universal  access  has  been  achieved  at  the elementary level of schooling. 97% and 96.6% habitations have been covered with primary and upper primary schools respectively. As per UDISE 2014-15, the Gross Enrolment Ratio at primary and upper primary level is 100.08% and 91.24% respectively.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) provides for universalisation of access to and  improvement  of  quality  at  the  secondary  and  higher  secondary  stage.  RMSA  norms provide a secondary school within a reasonable distance of any habitation, which should be 5 kilometer for secondary schools and 7 -10 kilometers for higher secondary schools. As per UDISE  2014-15,  the  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio  at  secondary  and  higher  secondary  level  is 78.51% and 54.21% respectively.

(b):  The  University Grants Commission (UGC) does not centrally maintain data regarding the  number of vacancies in Schedule Tribes (ST) seats. However, at present in 40 Central Universities under the purview of UGC, there are 22826 students enrolled who belong to ST community.

(c) & (d): As per UDISE 2014-15, the enrolment share of children belonging to ST community at  primary and upper primary level is 10.83% and 9.76% respectively. At the secondary and higher secondary level, the enrolment share of children belonging to ST community is 8.49% and 6.45% respectively.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 provisions for free and compulsory  education  to  children  between  the  age  group  of  6-14  years.  The  Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides assistance to State Governments and UTs to ensure quality elementary education for all children. Universal enrolment is the first goal of SSA, and hence all efforts are being made to bring all children in schools. SSA has provided  2.04  lakh  primary  and  1.59  lakh  upper  primary  schools  for  ensuring  universal provisioning of schooling facilities. Preference for opening of school is given to tribal areas, and  areas  with  high  concentration  of  SC,  ST  and  minority  population.  In  addition,  3609 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), which are residential schools for girls at upper primary  level,  have  also  been  sanctioned  to  the  States  for  improving  access  to  marginalised girls particularly out of school, either drop out or never enrolled. Under the SSA, districts with 25% and above population of STs have been identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs). In these  ST  concentrated  SFDs,  508  KGBVs  have  been  sanctioned  out  of  which  507  are operational.  The  total  enrolment  of  children  at  elementary  level  was  15.1  crores  in  1998-99, which has increased to 19.7 crores in 2014-15.

Under SSA, provisions have also been made for residential schools/hostels and transportation/ escort  facility  for  children  living  in  sparsely  populated  areas,  children  living  in  areas  where schools  cannot  be  opened  due  to  unavailability  of  land  and  children  in  need  of  care  and protection. Special training is also provided to all such children who are school dropouts and long absentees.

Additionally, other strategies adopted under SSA such as strengthening school infrastructure, improving pupil-teacher ratios, providing incentives like free textbooks, uniforms for all girls, children  from  SC/ST  community,  below  poverty  line  children  and  mid-day  meal  in  schools have proved to be useful in increasing the enrolment of children in elementary schools.

For  improving  the  access  of  all  students,  including  students  from  ST  community  at  the secondary level of schooling, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) provides for new  secondary  schools  and  by  provisioning  for  additional  classrooms,  science  laboratory, library, computer rooms, art/craft/culture rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities etc. in the new secondary schools and existing secondary schools. Interventions like survey and identification of out of school children, awareness programme, bridge courses, special teaching for learning enhancement  etc.  have  also  been  supported  under  RMSA  to  increase  the  enrolment  of  all students. Under RMSA, 12,394 secondary schools have been approved since inception across all  States  and  UTs,  out  of  which  2,812  secondary  schools  have  been  approved  in  ST concentrated  districts.  RMSA  has  also  supported  strengthening  of  infrastructure  of  existing schools  in  37,382  Government  secondary  schools  in  India,  out  of  which  4826  have  been approved in ST concentrated districts.

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