Lok Sabha Question No. 2938 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: Educational Disparities faced by Tribal Students
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan, Shri Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2938

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 08/08/2024

## EDUCATIONAL DISPARITIES FACED BY TRIBAL STUDENTS

## 2938   SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

## SHRI RAVINDRA SHUKLA ALIAS RAVI KISHAN:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to address the educational disparities faced by tribal students so as to ensure their equitable access to quality education; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with strategies and initiatives that are being employed to enhance the quality of education for tribal students, taking into account their unique needs and cultural backgrounds?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) and (b): In the Union Budget of 2018-19, the Government of India announced to set up one Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in every block having more than 50% ST population  and  at  least  20,000  tribal  persons  (as  per  census  2011)  to  provide  quality education to the tribal children in their own environment. The Govt has fixed a target of setting up 728 such schools by 2026, of which 405 schools are functional as on date. As reported by National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), the autonomous body under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to manage and implement the scheme of EMRS, the following activities have been introduced in EMRSs :-
- I. Uniform curriculum and educational standards across all schools on CBSE pattern.
- II.  Integration  of  modern  technological  interventions  such  as  Direct-to-Home  (DTH) education.
- III. Online tutoring for competitive exams like IIT, NEET etc.
- IV. Provision of Smart Classes for interactive learning.
- V.  Provision  of  skill  development  programs  tailored  to  enhance  the  employbility  and practical skills of students.
- VI. Development of infrastructure facilities for both indoor and outdoor sports and sports training to nurture athletic talent.

VII.  By  setting  up  'Poshan  Vatikas'  in  EMRSs  efforts  are  made  to  preserve  the  local varieties of plants and harness knowledge of medicinal and nutritional plants in the remotest areas.

VIII. Adventure initiative by sending 58 students from 8 states to undergo a 26-day Basic Mountaineering Course at ABVIMAS in Manali.

Further,  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  is  implementing  following  Scholarship  Schemes  to promote and encourage basic and higher education amongst ST population:-

- i) Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class IX and X):
2. ii)   Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class XI and above):
3. iii) National Scholarship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students (earlier known Scholarship is provided for pursuing Graduate/Post Graduate  courses  in  the  265  top-class  Government  and  Non-Government  Institutes  in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology,
4. as Top Class Scholarship Scheme): Law etc.
- iv. National Fellowship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students: Scholarship to meritorious ST students for pursuing M.Phil or Ph.D in India
- v)  National  Overseas  Scholarship  for  ST  students:  S cholarships  are  given  to  the meritorious Schedule Tribe (ST) students for pursuing higher education abroad.

Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  (DoSEL), Ministry  of  Education  is implementing Samagra Shiksha scheme, aimed at bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education.  The scheme also focuses on the identified Special Focus Districts (SFDs) on the basis of adverse performance on various indicators of enrolment, retention, and gender parity, as well as concentration of SC, ST and minority communities. A total of 109 ST SFDs, having population of more than 25% and above ST population have been identified. The major interventions of Samagra Shiksha include RTE entitlements under which two sets of uniforms for all girls, and children belonging to SC/ST/BPL families' in Government schools up to class VIII are provided and provision is also made for textbooks to all children including SC/ST in Government/Local Body and Government aided schools. Under  Samagra  Shiksha,  there  is  a  provision  of  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas (KGBVs) which are residential schools for girls (class VI to XII) belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL).

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), an autonomous body under Ministry of Education, has informed that ST students in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) are provided equitable access to good quality modern education.  There are 10 Special JNVs for Scheduled Tribe (ST) concentrated districts of the country. There is provision of Reservation for SC & STs as per actual population in the district concerned subject to a minimum of national average (i.e. 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs) but subject to a maximum of 50% for both the categories (SC & ST) taken together.  Total 58,536 ( 20.28 % ) ST students are on the roll of NVS as on 31.03.2024.

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