Lok Sabha Question No. 2973 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Education for Tribal Children
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gajendra Singh Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †2973

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 07/08/2023

## EDUCATION FOR TRIBAL CHILDREN

## †2973. SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of programmes being formulated to facilitate the tribal children to get quality education in their surrounding areas;
- (b) whether any scheme is under consideration to set up Navodaya Vidyalayas in tribal areas for benefit of tribal student;
- (c) the schemes being implemented to facilitate tribal students to study abroad;
- (d) whether any new scheme is proposed for higher education in tribal areas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the programmes  being  implemented  in  the  field of  education  in  Khargone  Parliamentary Constituency?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SMT. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

- (a) to (d): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is administering the following programmes/schemes to facilitate tribal children to get quality education in their surrounding areas/ study abroad:
- (I) Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS),
- (II) Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class IX and X)
- (III) Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above)
- (IV) National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students
- i. National Fellowship scheme (NFST)
- ii. National Scholarship Scheme (earlier known as Top Class scheme)
- (V) National Overseas Scholarship for ST students

The details of the above mentioned schemes are at Annexure .

Besides, Navodaya  Vidyalaya  Scheme  (NVS) envisages  for  opening  one Jawahar  Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in each district of the country including tribal dominated areas. During the year 2008, Government of India has sanctioned additional second JNVs in 10 ST concentrated districts of the  country  in  relaxation  of  the  NVS  norms. As  on  30.06.2023,  49,334  (20.55%)  students  from Scheduled Tribes (ST) category are enrolled in JNVs out of the total 2,40,094 students on the roll of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.

Further, Department of Higher Education is also implementing three Central Sector Schemes under the umbrella scheme "Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan [PM-USP],Yojana", namely (i) Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Scholarship  for  College  and  University  Students(CSSS);  (ii)  Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (SSS for J&K and Ladakh) (iii) Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme (CSIS). Under the CSSS and SSS for J&K and Ladakh, reservation is in place for tribal students.

(e): The schemes/ programmes mentioned above are applicable to all eligible Scheduled Tribe students across  the  country  including  those  belonging  to  Khargone  Parliamentary  Constituency  of  Madhya Pradesh. Further, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned a total number of 9 EMRSs in Khargone Parliamentary  Constituency  [05  Nos.  in  Barwani  (all  functional)  and  04  Nos.  in  Khargone  (2 functional)]  to  impart  quality  education  to  tribal  students.   One  JNV  in  district  Barwani  (Madhya Pradesh) which falls under Khargone Parliamentary Constituency, is functioning smoothly since the year 2003-04 up to class XII from its permanent site. The total students strength of JNV Barwani (Madhya Pradesh) as on 30.06.2023 is 433, out of which, 169 (39.03%) are from Scheduled Tribes (ST) Category.

Annexure as referred in part (a) to (d) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.†2973 dated 07.08.2023 raised by Shri Gajendra Singh Patel regarding "Education for Tribal Children".

## Schemes/ programmes administered by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to facilitate the tribal children to get quality education:

(I) The central sector scheme of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) aims to provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education (Class 6th to 12th) to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas to enable them to access the best opportunities in education and to bring them at par with the general population. Government has decided to establish one EMRS in every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per 2011 census), subject to availability of suitable land to be provided by the State/UT Government. These schools will be at par with Navodya Vidyalayas. At present, a total number of 694 EMRSs have been sanctioned, out of which 401 schools are reported to be functional benefitting about 113275 tribal students. National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, manages and implements the scheme of EMRS.

(II)Pre-Matric  Scholarship  for  ST  students (Class  IX  and  X)  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme implemented through respective State/UT administrations. This is an open-ended scheme covering all ST students studying in Standard IXth & Xth, whose parental annual income is not exceeding Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the State contribution is  10%.  In  case  of  UTs  like  Andaman  &  Nicobar  without  Legislative  Assembly  and  own  grants, Government  of  India's  contribution  is  100%.  The  inviting  of  applications,  processing/verification  of applications and disbursement of scholarship is the primary responsibility of respective State/UT. The Ministry releases funds after examining the physical and financial performance in the proposal received.

(III)Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through respective Ste/UT administrations. This is an open-ended Scheme covering all ST students studying in in class XI and above, whose parental annual income is not exceeding Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the state contribution is 10%. In case of UTs like Andaman & Nicobar without Legislative Assembly and own grants, Govt. of India's contribution is  100%. The inviting of applications, processing/verification of applications and disbursement of scholarship is the primary responsibility of respective State/UT. The Ministry releases funds after examining the physical and financial performance in the proposal received.

- (IV) National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The scheme has two sub-Schemes, viz:
- i. National Scholarship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students (earlier known as Top Class Scholarship Scheme): Under this Scheme, Scholarship is provided for pursuing Graduate/Post Graduate courses in the selected top-class Government and Non-Government Institutes in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology, Law etc. All ST students, with annual parental income not exceeding Rs.6.0 lakhs and studying in the 265 notified institutes by the Ministry, are eligible to receive this scholarship.
- ii. National Fellowship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST) :  It is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to grant scholarship to meritorious ST students for pursuing M.Phil or Ph.D in India after completion of Master degree. The total number of fresh fellowships

for M.Phil/M.Phil+PhD/Ph.D every year is 750. ST students with a minimum of 55% marks in Master Degree up to the age of 36 years are eligible to apply for fellowship under the Scheme. The value of fellowship is at par with UGC rates.

(V)    National Overseas Scholarship for ST students is a Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs under which scholarships are given to the meritorious Schedule Tribe (ST) students for pursuing higher education in top 1000 ranked (as per latest QS world ranking) Institutes/Universities abroad. The Scheme is implemented through the Indian Embassies/Missions abroad, Ministry of External Affairs. Twenty awards are given every year. ST students with parental income not exceeding Rs.6.0 lakhs per annum are eligible to apply for the scholarship under the scheme.

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