Lok Sabha Question No. 1969 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-11
Subject: Improving Access to Education for Tribals in Seemanchal
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1969

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2025

## IMPROVING ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR TRIBALS IN SEEMANCHAL

## 1969. DR. MUHAMMAD JAWED:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: -

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken special measures to improve access to education for tribal children in the Seemanchal region of Bihar, particularly in the districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, and Katihar;
- (b)  the  number  of  tribal  students  from  Seemanchal  who  have  received  pre-matric,  post-matric,  and  higher education scholarships under various schemes of the Ministry during the last three financial years, district-wise;
- (c) whether there have been delays or gaps in scholarship disbursement, Aadhaar verification or direct benefit transfer affecting tribal students in Seemanchal and if so, the steps taken to address these issues;
- (d) the status of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) sanctioned for Seemanchal; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to introduce additional hostels, vocational centres, bridge courses, digital learning support, or community education initiatives specifically aimed at improving educational outcomes for tribal children in Seemanchal and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  is  implementing  the  following  Scholarship  Schemes  to  ensure  that  tribal communities have greater access to quality education across the country including the Seemancgal region of Bihar:
- i)     Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class IX and X)
- ii)    Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above)
- iii)   National Fellowship for Higher Education for ST students.
- iv)   National Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students(Top Class)
- v)    National Overseas Scholarship for ST students.

Out of the schemes mentioned above, the scholarship schemes at Sl.No (i) to (ii) are Centrally Sponsored Schemes and implemented through respective State/UT. Both Pre & Post Matric Scholarship Schemes are open ended Schemes wherein scholarships are given to all ST students for pursuing studies from class 9th to PostGraduation courses whose parental incomedoes not exceed Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum. The inviting of applications, verification,  selection  of  beneficiaries  and  disbursement  of  scholarship  amount  is  the  responsibility  of  the respective  State/UT.  The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs,  releases  central  share  funds  to  States/UTs  based  on proposals submitted by them and after examining financial and physical progress.  State Governments/Union Territory Administrations disburse the scholarship amount to all the eligible ST Student's bank account through DBT mode.

The Schemes at Sl. No. (iii) to  (v) are Central Sector Schemes implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. There  are  no  state-wise  allocation  of  slots  and  funds  under  these  Central  Sector  Schemes.  Under  National Fellowship  and  Scholarship  for  Higher  Education  for  ST  students,  funds  are  directly  released  to  the Students/Institutions through DBT mode, whereas Schemes at Sl.No. (v) National Overseas Scholarship for ST students is implemented through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the funds are released to ST students studying abroad through Embassies, further Ministry of Tribal Affairs reimburse the funds to MEA.

Also, a key step towards improvement of access to education for tribal children is establishment of hostels for tribal  students,  which  is  one  of  the  interventions  under  DAJGUA  scheme  of  this  Ministry.  The  scheme  is implemented by Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in convergence with Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL). The status of implementation of hostels under DAJGUA including Seemanchal region of Bihar is as follows (as of 08.12.2025):

## Figure in number

|   S. No | State   |   Sanction |   In principle approval | Current Status                             |
|---------|---------|------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Bihar   |         19 |                      19 | Proposal not received for 1 st Installment |

(b) As  reported  by  State  Govt.  of  Bihar,  the  details  of  district-wise  number  of  tribal  students  from Seemanchal region who have received Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes during the last three years is as under: -

| S. No.   | District   | Scheme Name   |   2022-23 |   2023-24 | 2024-25    |
|----------|------------|---------------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| 1        | Kishanganj | Pre Matric    |       438 |       236 | 296        |
|          | Kishanganj | Post Matric   |        11 |         6 | In process |
| 2        | Araria     | Pre Matric    |       235 |        92 | 212        |
|          | Araria     | Post Matric   |        38 |        13 | In process |
| 3        | Purnea     | Pre Matric    |      1381 |       452 | 904        |
|          | Purnea     | Post Matric   |       210 |        67 | In process |
| 4        | Katihar    | Pre Matric    |       993 |       442 | 870        |
|          | Katihar    | Post Matric   |       235 |        95 | In process |

(c) State Govt. of Bihar has informed that under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, the scholarship amount is paid immediately on the basis of attendance till 30th September every year. Due to Aadhaar authentication and direct benefit transfer, the quality of implementation of the scheme has increased and there is no possibility of delay.  Further,  under  the  Post-Matric  Scholarship  Scheme,  applications  are  verified  at  multiple  levels  by  the concerned institution as well as the District Education Officer's office, which may take some time. Thereafter, the scholarship amount is transferred to the students immediately through Direct Benefit Transfer.

(d) In Union Budget of 2018-19, Government of India announced that to provide quality education to the tribal children  in  their  own  environment,  EMRSs  will  be  established  in  every  block  having  more  than  50%  ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). None of the blocks in Seemanchal region of Bihar, particularly in the districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, and Katihar fulfil the twin criteria required for sanctioning an EMRS.

(e) At present, there is no such proposals under consideration in this Ministry. However, under the DAJGUA scheme of this Ministry, State Government may recommend consideration of Grants in Aid for hostel. Fund is released after approval of Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) constituted in the Ministry.

Also, Government is implementing Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) as a strategy for the development of Scheduled Tribes and areas having tribal concentration in the country. Besides Ministry of Tribal  Affairs,  41  Ministries/Departments  are  mandated  to  allocate  certain  percentage  of  their  total  scheme budget every year for tribal development under DAPST to bridge the developmental gap between Scheduled Tribes (STs) and non-ST populations and for various tribal development projects relating to education, health, agriculture, irrigation, roads, housing, electrification, employment generation, skill development, etc.

Ministry-wise  and  scheme  wise  details  of  DAPST  funds  for  welfare  of  Scheduled  Tribes  can  be  seen  at Statement 10B of Union Budget document at https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/eb/stat10b.pdf.

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