Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) for ST Students

Ekalavya Model Residential Schools, EMRS for ST students: The Ekalavya Model Residential School is a Government of India scheme to establish model residential schools for Indian tribals across the country.

The Tribal Ministry, Government of India established it. Tribal students studying in government-run Eklavya Model Residential Schools will get a unique Khadi dress from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) will revolutionize education in tribal-dominated areas of the country, as children of the community will be provided with the best modern education in those institutes.

All EMRSs would be developed on a par with Navodaya Vidyalayas. The establishment of EMRS is a milestone in the field of education of tribal children.

EMRS started in 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas, enabling them to avail of opportunities in high and professional educational courses and get employment in various sectors. The schools focus not only on academic education but also on the all-round development of the students.

The government announced that by 2022, every block with more than 50 STs and at least 20,000 tribal people will have an EMRS.

The schools will have facilities for one individual sport and one group sport of the state concerned, following the norms of the Sports Authority of India.

A total of 480 students 240 boys and an equal number of girls – would be provided with education from classes 6 to 12 in the school.

The Tribal Affairs Ministry will purchase 6 lakh meters of Khadi fabric worth Rs.14.7 crore from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in 2020-21.

With the trend of establishing quality residential schools to promote education in all areas and habitations in the country, the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for ST students take their place among the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, and the Kendriya Vidyalayas.

The objective of EMRS is to provide quality middle and high-level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas, not only to enable them to avail of reservation in high and professional education courses and as jobs in government and public and private sectors but also to have access to the best opportunities in education at par with the non-ST population.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools would be achieved by: 1. Comprehensive physical, mental, and socially relevant development of all students enrolled in every Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS).

Students will be empowered to be change agents, beginning in their schools, their homes, their villages, and finally, in a larger context.

2. Focus differentially on the educational support to be made available to those in Standards XI and XII and those in Standards VI to X so that their distinctive needs can be met,

3. Support the annual running expenses in a manner that offers reasonable remuneration to the staff and upkeep of the facilities.

4. Support the construction of infrastructure that meets the education, physical, environmental, and cultural needs of student life.

EMRS Recruitment 2021 for Principal, Vice Principal, PGT and TGT posts in EMRSs

EMR School Recruitment

Structure of Eklavya Model Residential Schools

Admission to these schools will be through selection/competition with suitable provisions for preference for children belonging to Primitive Tribal Groups, first-generation students, etc.

• The state government will provide sufficient land free of cost for the school, playgrounds, hostels, residential quarters, etc.
• The number of seats for boys and girls will be equal.
• In these schools, education will be entirely free.
• Every class can have a maximum of 60 students, preferably in 2 sections of 30 students each, and the total sanctioned strength of the school will be 480 students.

At the higher secondary level (classes XI and XII), there will be three sections per class for the three streams of Science, Commerce, and humanities.

The maximum sanctioned strength of each section may be 30 students. In the case of a section shortfall, ST students from other schools may be admitted as per the procedure mentioned above para (a).

EMRS Admission

Management and Running of EMRS

(i) The EMRSs may be affiliated with the State or Central Boards of Secondary Education as the State Governments/UT Administration desires. (ii) The norms and standards for a school class VI to class VIII regarding the number of teachers appointed, as provided in the Schedule to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, shall be strictly followed.

iii) Efforts may be made to recruit the maximum no. of women teachers. When recruitment, preference may be accorded to candidates whose spouses also qualify for teacher selection. Women should be given preference for employment among the non-teaching staff, and in any case, women should be deployed in the posts of cook, helper, and cleaner.

iv) Each State Government/UT Administration would be solely responsible for the management and effective functioning of the EMRSs. (v) State Governments/UT Administrations may opt for any feasible/ suitable mode of management, whether by autonomous education societies, public-private partnerships with reputed educational institutions, arrangements with the State Department of Education, or any other suitable mode.

vi) All State Governments and UT Administrations are encouraged to set up a society or use an existing registered education society to manage the EMRSs. Such a society will be eligible to accept donations, contributions, and grants from individuals and institutions to augment the schools’ infrastructure/ facilities/ educational resources in the interest of quality education.

(vii) A Management Committee may be constituted for each EMRS, which could include, among others, reputed local NGOs involved with education. Such NGOs may be able to organize socially relevant development/ welfare extension programs. (viii) The tasks of school admissions, the appointment of teachers, the appointment of staff, personnel matters, and the day-to-day running of the schools would be handled entirely by the society chosen by the State Government/UT Administration and in the manner deemed most suitable.

(ix) The State Government/UT Administration shall ensure and maintain the highest quality in selecting teachers and staff for academic and extra-curricular excellence. (x) The Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs shall not accept any responsibility for the management of the School, including student admission, staff recruitment, personnel policy/administration, estate management, etc.

Building Design and Layout

(i) Each school should be allocated 20 acres, of which up to 3.5 acres may be used for construction purposes. The remaining area must be maintained properly, and a reasonable portion may be earmarked for sports/ games.

(ii) The school plan must indicate the layout of the compound, including the kitchen, vegetable garden, and plantation (fruits and nutritional trees like drumsticks (moringa/Sahjan) and citrus) areas. States/UTs are encouraged to use fuel-saving or renewable energy technologies in the school by availing of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy schemes.

(iii) The design of the EMRS must consider specific essential components and local environmental characteristics. A list of suggested essential components is in the Annexure.
iv) The norms and standards of a school concerning ‘Building,’ as laid down in the Schedule to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, shall be strictly ensured.

Costs & Budget

(i) Capital Cost (non-recurring): The capital cost for the school complex, including hostels and staff quarters, will now be Rs.12.00 crore, with a provision to increase to Rs.16.00 crore in hill areas, deserts, and islands. Any escalation will have to be met by the State Government/UT.

(ii) Recurring Cost: Recurring cost during the first year for schools would be Rs.42000/- per child. This may be raised by 10% every second year to compensate for inflation, etc. (iii) For procurement of essential, non-recurring items like furniture/equipment including for the kitchen, dining, hostel, recreation, garden, etc. @ Rs.10 lakh per school – will be allowed once in every 5 years, allowing for inflation.

(iv) The annual budget for recurring expenditures shall be formulated and submitted to the Management Committee for approval at the end of each financial year for the next year. The rates for calculating recurring costs may be based on the prevailing rates sanctioned for the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya from time to time.

(v) The amount under recurring cost, due to each functioning EMRS, would be released by the State/UT Government to the bank account of the EMRS. For this purpose, the bank account of each EMRS may be opened jointly in the name of the Principal of the EMRS and any Member of the Management Committee who is also a government official.

Review and Monitoring

i) The progress of implementing the scheme will be reviewed by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs through periodic reports from the State Governments/ implementing agencies.
ii) The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will conduct review meetings during which States/UTs must present their EMRSs’ progress.
iii) The guidelines for using the grants under Article 275 (1) provide up to 2% of the total allocation for the program’s administration. This would apply to EMRS.
iv) A centralized mechanism for the online monitoring of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) would be developed.

Meanwhile, States/UTs may strengthen their systems/methods. The Government of India is free to make any modification to the conditions above in consultation with selected State Governments/ UTs whenever deemed necessary. Ekalavya Model Residential Schools EMRS

Ekalavya Model Residential Schools

EMRS Facilities and Infrastructure: Ekalaya Model Residential School have

Residences:
1. Housing for teachers, security, and supporting staff
2. Housing for wardens, security, and supporting staff (in case of proposals relating to Ashram Schools)

Ekalaya Model Residential School Hostel 
1. Well ventilated dormitories
2. Assured/ reliable water supply
3. Office Room for hostel warden
4. Courtyard/verandah for washing and drying clothes
5. Recreation/standard room/covered courtyard for rainy season activities
6. Rainwater harvesting
7. Reliable sewage system
8. Openable/cleanable nets on doors and windows to keep out mosquitoes/insects.

Ekalaya Model Residential School Dining/Kitchen
1.  Solar water heating
2. Kitchen garden and compost pit
3. Kitchen utensil washing area
4. Multipurpose area-covered verandah attached to kitchen

Ekalaya Model Residential School Outdoor areas
1. Compound wall
2. Area for plantation of nutritional fruit trees
3. Garden and small shed
4. Toilets for workers/visitors

Ekalavya Model Residential Schools EMRS Utilities:
1. Electrical control room
2. Underground tanks, pump house
3. Sewage treatment plant
4. Security cabin/guard room
The entire school building, including libraries, laboratories, and toilets, should be accessible to children with disabilities.