Question : EDUCATION TO TRIBAL CHILDREN

(a) whether the Government proposes to formulate any scheme to provide education to each of the tribal children;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the time by which the scheme is likely to be implemented?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) No Sir, however the Government has launched various schemes so that the education at primary , secondary as well as higher level could be easily accessible to the tribal children.

(b) At Primary and Secondary stage there are Schemes which have significant bearing on Educational development of Scheduled Tribes. These Schemes are Early Childhood Education (ECE), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, Mid Day Meal Scheme, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, Scheme for Setting up of 6000 Model Schools at Block Level as benchmark of excellence and Saakshar Bharat.

In Higher Education, University Grants Commission (UGC) implements various schemes for educational empowerment of Scheduled Tribes such as Remedial Coaching at UG/PG level for SC/ST students, Coaching Classes for SC/ST candidates for preparation for National Eligibility Test (NET), Post- Graduate Scholarships for Students belonging to SCs/STs/ Minorities, Post-Doctoral Fellowships for SC/ST. UGC has also issued guidelines to Universities and Colleges for implementation of reservation policy of Government of India. Apart from this, 7.5% reservation in admission of the students belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in Central Educational Institutions established, maintained or aided by the Central Government has been provided under Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006. Central Educations Institution such as Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak and Several Central Technical Education Institutions and Universities have been established in North Eastern Region which has major concentration of tribal. In addition to this many other Schemes such as Scholarship for College and University Students (7.50 % reservation for ST students), Scheme of Interest subsidy on education loans, opening of Central Universities & Central Educational Institutions like IITs, IIMs, IIITs in uncovered areas, Expansion of Polytechnic and Scheme of setting up of 374 model colleges in districts having GER for higher education less than the national average have also been undertaken by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).

Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also launched schemes which supplement the efforts of Ministry of HRD. These schemes are- Establishment of Ashram Schools in Tribal Sub Plan Areas, Post Metric Scholarship for ST students, Hostels for ST girls and boys, Up- gradation of Merit of ST students, Top Class Education for ST students, Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for ST students, National Overseas Scholarship for ST students and Grant under Article 275(1) of the constitution (construction of Eklavaya Model Residential Schools which a component in this scheme).

(c) Does not arise in view of (a).