Lok Sabha Question No. 646 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: Vocational Training for Tribal Youth and Women
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri E T Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 646

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2024

## VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR TRIBAL YOUTH AND WOMEN

## 646. SHRI E T MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken new measures to enhance access to education and vocational training, particularly for tribal youth and women; and

(b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a) & (b) : The Central Sector Scheme of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment. Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model. Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country.   As  on  date,  715  schools  have been  sanctioned,  out  of  which  476  EMRSs  have  been reported  to  be  functional  across  the  country  benefiting  about  1,33,929  students  covering  264 districts in 28 States/UTs. The number of seats for boys and girls in these schools are equal.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous society under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which is mandated with establishing and managing Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRSs), has signed an MoU with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in March 2024, for setting up of 400 Skill labs in 200 EMRSs (2 Skill Lab per school). Also, NESTS in association with CBSE & World Bank has established 14 more skill labs in EMRSs  to facilitate Skill training of tribal students studying in these EMRSs. NESTS has also collaborated with NITI Aayog and established Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) labs in 16 EMRSs. Students studying in these schools are enabled to have exposure in skill development.

In  addition  to  the  above  scheme Dharti  Aaba  Janjatiya  Gram  Utkarsh  Abhiyan  (DAJGUA)  a scheme with total outlay of Rs.79,156 crores (Central Share: Rs.56,333 crore and State Share: Rs. 22,823 crore) was also launched on 2 nd  October 2024 by Government. The Abhiyan will cover around 63,843 villages benefitting more than 5 crore tribal people in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks spread  across  all  tribal  majority  villages  and  aspirational  blocks  in  30  States/UTs.   DAJGUA envisions saturation of critical gaps in social infrastructure including education sector. Under the Scheme Dept  of School  Education,  Govt  of  India  will  be  constructing  1000  hostels  for  tribal children to facilitate access to education. Additionally under DAJGUA MoTA will support states with central assistance for upgradation of infrastructure of Ashram schools being run by State Governments for Tribal children. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ( MSDE ) under DA JGUA with the DAPST funds  will establish 30 Tribal Skill centers for Tribal youth   as per  Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme

Further,  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  (DoSEL),  Ministry  of  Education  is implementing the scheme of Samagra Shiksha, effective from 2018-19, for universalization of quality  education  throughout  the country  in  coordination  with  the  States and  UTs.  In  order  to ensure  greater  participation  of  girls  in  school  education,  under  Samagra  Shiksha,  various interventions have been targeted, which include opening of schools in the neighbourhood to make access easier for girls, free uniform and text-books to girls up to Class VIII, additional teachers and  residential  quarters  for  teachers  in  remote/hilly  areas,  appointment  of  additional  teachers including women teachers, stipend to children with Special Needs (CwSN) girls from class I to class XII, separate toilets for girls, teachers sensitization  programmes  to  promote  girls participation, gender-sensitive teaching-learning materials including text books.

In addition, to reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education and ensure access and quality education  to  girls,  under  Samagra  Shiksha,  there  is  a  provision  of  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) which are residential schools for girls from class VI to XII from age 10-18 years belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL), sanctioned in Educationally Backward Blocks of the country.

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