New Delhi, April 2, 2026:
Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the Centre has significantly stepped up efforts to strengthen infrastructure and manpower across Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), the flagship residential education network for tribal students.
The minister said the government had decided in the Union Budget 2018–19 to establish EMRS campuses for Classes VI to XII in blocks with more than 50% Scheduled Tribe population and at least 20,000 tribal residents, based on the 2011 Census criteria. As of now, 723 EMRS have been sanctioned, out of which 499 schools are already operational, either from permanent or rented buildings, while the remaining institutions are at different stages of construction.
He noted that delays in construction are largely linked to non-availability of encumbrance-free land, lack of proper road connectivity, forest clearance issues, and difficult terrain, especially in remote tribal regions. In response, the government has intensified coordination with state governments, prioritised viable project sites, and strengthened monitoring systems to accelerate execution.
Each EMRS is being developed as a modern 15-acre residential campus with capacity for 480 students from Classes VI to XII, featuring separate hostels for boys and girls, dining and kitchen blocks, staff housing, ventilated classrooms, advanced laboratories, and libraries. The infrastructure model is designed to align with the residential schooling needs of tribal students and long-term educational outcomes.
On the human resources front, the minister said every fully functional EMRS has 31 teaching posts and 21 non-teaching posts approved. The first phase of recruitment has been completed successfully, while the second phase is already underway. States have also been advised to use deputation and outsourcing arrangements to fill vacant posts so that academic activity remains uninterrupted.
The government is also focusing on capacity building through the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS). So far, around 4,455 teaching and non-teaching staff members have been trained, in line with the residential schooling framework and the goals of the National Education Policy. The training is being delivered in collaboration with institutions such as Delhi University, IITs, NCERT, CBSE, and ISTM, covering practical pedagogy, student welfare, tribal sensitisation, and the use of technology in education.
