News Report:
Agartala, Tripura: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on January 1 said the state government is considering establishing Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in all 58 blocks of the state to expand access to quality education for tribal students, especially those living in remote and rural areas.
Addressing a programme, the Chief Minister said the government has placed special emphasis on improving educational opportunities for Scheduled Tribe students and ensuring that quality schooling reaches the grassroots level. He noted that the EMRS scheme, supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, aims to provide residential education to tribal children and help them pursue higher education.
CM Saha pointed out that before the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in Tripura in 2018, the state had only four EMRSs. Since then, the Centre has sanctioned 21 EMRSs for Tripura. Of these, 12 schools are currently operational, while two more are expected to become functional by March 2026.
Highlighting the state’s long-term vision, the Chief Minister said the goal is to establish EMRSs in all 58 blocks so that tribal students across Tripura can benefit equally from the scheme. He added that during his recent visit to New Delhi, he urged the Centre to relax the existing guidelines for setting up EMRSs in the state.
Under the current norms, a block must have at least 50 per cent tribal population and a minimum tribal population of 20,000 to qualify for an EMRS. CM Saha said he has strongly requested the Centre to ease these criteria to allow the establishment of more schools in Tripura.
Expressing optimism, the Chief Minister said he hopes the Centre will take a positive decision, which would significantly strengthen Tripura’s efforts to ensure inclusive and equitable education for tribal communities.
