Lok Sabha Question No. 580 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: Educational Empowerment of Tribal Communities
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Murari Lal Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 580

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2024

## EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

## †580. SHRI MURARI LAL MEENA:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched any new scheme for educational empowerment of tribal communities and if so, the details of facilities being provided under these schemes for improving standard of education of tribal children of Dausa in Rajasthan;
- (b) whether special scholarship schemes have been implemented for tribal students with the objective to improve their standard of education and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the measures taken for monitoring the effective implementation of these schemes; and
- (d) whether the Government has launched any special scheme or programme to promote establishing educational institutes in tribal areas for educational empowerment of tribal communities and if so, the details and the impact thereof particularly in Dausa, Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SH. DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a) & (d): Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the Central Sector Scheme of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) 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 new 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. This scheme aims to benefit 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.There are 31 sanctioned EMRS in Rajasthan out of which 30 are already functional. However, there is no EMRSs approved in Dausa district of Rajasthan.

In addiiton 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.

In  addition  to  the  above  ,  Samagra  Shiksha,  an  overarching  programme  for  the  school  education  is  being implemented  by  Dept  of  School  Education  ,  Government  of  India   with  a  total financial outlay of

Rs.2,94,283.04crore which includes a Central share of Rs.1,85,398.32 crore.( 2021-2026) which has a special thrust on  Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education.

- (b): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing following Scholarship Schemes in all the states of the country including Rajasthan to promote and encourage basic and higher education amongst ST population:-
- i)    Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students ( For Class IX and X):
- ii)   Post Matric Scholarship for ST students ( For Class XI and above):
- iii)  National  Scholarship  Scheme  for  Higher  Education  of  ST  Students  (earlier  known  as  Top  Class Scholarship Scheme): Scholarship is provided for pursuing Graduate/Post Graduate courses in the 265 topclass Government and Non-Government Institutes in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology, 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: Scholarships are given to the meritorious Schedule Tribe (ST) students for pursuing higher education abroad.
- (c): EMRS Scheme is monitored by obtaining Utilization Certificates (UCs) as a pre-requisite for further release of funds, Monthly Progress Reports, filed visits and regular review meeting with  state Governments and nodal agencies for proper implementation of the scheme. A MIS Portal has also been developed by National Education Society  for  Tribal  Students  (NESTS),  an  autonomous  body  under  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  managing  and implementing scheme of EMRS for maintaining database of all EMRSs and to monitor the scheme.

Further, for Scholarship Schemes, DBT Mission in 2018 issued detailed guidelines with directions to digitize the entire  process  of  scholarship,   to  ensure  amount  of  scholarship  is  directly  transferred  to  Aadhar  linked  bank account of student with development of scheme specific MIS having facility to capture beneficiary information. All the 5 Scholarship schemes are managed through dedicated scheme specific portals.

Accordingly, the entire process of implementation of scholarship schemes has been reformed with shift from paper-based format to digital mode with following features.

- (i). Data sharing by States, Data analytics and Performance Dashboard:
- (ii). Integration with Digi-Locker
- (iii). Integration of Universities with Fellowship Portal
- (iv). Grievance Redressal and Communication Mechanism

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