The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been setting up Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) since 1998-99 for imparting quality education to tribal children in their own environment. An EMRS has the capacity of accommodating 480 students. As per the budget announcement 2018-19, every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 ST population is to have an Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) by 2022. Ministry has identified 462 such blocks across the country. The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda has said that a total number of 438 EMRSs have been sanctioned by the Ministry as on 26th February, 2020. Out of which 285 are functional. As per existing guidelines, the total number of EMRSs being set up upto the year 2022 is 740. He said that the government is working for the welfare of the tribal community which flows from its commitment to ‘Har Ek Kaam, Desh Ke Naam’.
The approved recurring cost is Rs.1,09,000/- per student per year. Construction cost of EMRS (with 480 students capacity) is Rs. 20.00 crore, whereas cost of construction of EMRSs for North East, hilly areas, difficult areas and areas affected by Left Wing Extremism is 20% more than the normal cost.
As per the extant guidelines of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), the number of seats for boys and girls are equal in each EMRS. During 2019-20, enrollment of tribal girls in EMRSs across the country is 36567. Besides imparting quality education to tribal students, fund is also released for construction of hostels, laboratories, libraries, sports equipment, coaching/trainings etc.