- Concise Student-Focused News Summary:
- Nearly 600 students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 12 states cleared top entrance exams like NEET and JEE in 2025, as per the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This highlights the growing success of the government’s tribal education initiative.
About EMRS:
- Launched in 1998 and revamped in 2018-19 to widen reach and improve quality.
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs aims to establish 728 EMRSs by 2026 in tribal-majority blocks.
- Run by National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous body.
- Key Features:
- Co-educational residential schools for Class 6 to 12 in remote tribal areas.
- Follows CBSE curriculum, completely free education with capacity for 480 students per school (equal gender ratio).
- Non-ST students can occupy 10% of seats; 20% reservation for ST students excelling in sports.
- On par with Navodaya Vidyalayas, EMRSs preserve local art and culture and offer sports and skill training.
- Infrastructure includes hostels, staff housing, labs, sports grounds, and cultural facilities.
- EMRS has emerged as a crucial platform for bridging the educational gap for Scheduled Tribes and enabling mainstream academic excellence.