MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI JASWANTSINH BHABHOR)
(a):As per Census 2011, literacy rate of all population and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country is 73% and 59%, respectively. State/UT-wise literacy rates are given in Annexure 1.
(b): Tribals in most parts of the country live in hilly and forest areas with poor roads and other means of communication. They live mostly in scattered homesteads rather than villages or mohallas, which makes it difficult to provide access to schools within short distance for all students. Teachers from non-tribal areas are often reluctant to work in schools in tribal areas because of distance from towns, lack of housing and other amenities. Teachers from other areas are also not familiar with local tribal languages and dialects and are not able to communicate effectively with tribal students, particularly in lower primary sections. Tribal students face difficulties in following prescribed text books which are not in their mother tongue, particularly when the content is not appropriately designed for them. Enrolment rate of tribal children is lower, and drop-out rate is higher than others.
(c)& (d): Details of initiatives and schemes of Government of India for improving educational standards and facilities for Scheduled Tribes are given at Annexure 2.
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Annexure 1 referred to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2826 for 20.3.2017
Literacy Rates of All Population and Scheduled Tribes: Census 2011
Sl. No State / UT All Scheduled Tribes
INDIA 73.0 59.0
1 Jammu & Kashmir 67.2 50.6
2 Himachal Pradesh 82.8 73.6
3 Uttarakhand 78.8 73.9
4 Rajasthan 66.1 52.8
5 Uttar Pradesh 67.7 55.7
6 Bihar 61.8 51.1
7 Sikkim 81.4 79.7
8 Arunachal Pradesh 65.4 64.6
9 Nagaland 79.6 80.0
10 Manipur 76.9 72.6
11 Mizoram 91.3 91.5
12 Tripura 87.2 79.1
13 Meghalaya 74.4 74.5
14 Assam 72.2 72.1
15 West Bengal 76.3 57.9
16 Jharkhand 66.4 57.1
17 Odisha 72.9 52.2
18 Chhattisgarh 70.3 59.1
19 Madhya Pradesh 69.3 50.6
20 Gujarat 78.0 62.5
21 Daman & Diu 87.1 78.8
22 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 76.2 61.9
23 Maharashtra 82.3 65.7
24 Telangana 66.5 49.5
25 Andhra Pradesh 67.4 48.8
26 Karnataka 75.4 62.1
27 Goa 88.7 79.1
28 Lakshadweep 91.8 91.7
29 Kerala 94.0 75.8
30 Tamil Nadu 80.1 54.3
31 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 86.6 75.6
Note: No Notified Scheduled Tribes in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, NCT of Delhi and Puducherry as in 2011.
Annexure 2 referred to part (c)& (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2826 for 20.3.2017
I. Initiatives and Schemes of Ministry of Tribal Affairs
(i) Scheme of Girls & Boys Hostels for STs: Under the scheme, Central assistance is given to States / UTs / Universities for construction of new hostel buildings and / or extension of existing hostels. State Governments are eligible for 100% central share for construction of all Girls’ hostel andalso for construction of Boys’ hostel in naxal affected areas. The funding pattern for other Boys’ Hostel to State Governments is on 50:50 basis.
(ii) Scheme of Ashram Schools in Tribal Areas: The objective of the scheme is to provide residential schools for STs to increase the literacy rate among the tribal students and to bring them at par with other population of the country. Under the scheme, State Governments are eligible for 100% central share for construction of all Girls’ Ashram Schools and also for construction of Boys’ Ashram Schools in naxal affected areas. The funding pattern for the other Boys’ Ashram Schools is on 50:50 basis.
(iii) Scheme for Strengthening Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts: The scheme aims to bridge the gap in literacy levels between the general female population and tribal women, through facilitating 100% enrolment of tribal girls in the identified Districts or Blocks, more particularly in naxal affected areas and in areas inhabited by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and reducing drop-outs at the elementary level by creating the required ambience for education. Improvement of the literacy rate of tribal girls is essential to enable them to participate effectively in and benefit from, socio-economic development.
(iv) Ministry releases funds under Article 275(1) of the Constitutionfor setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). The objective of setting up these schools is to provide quality education to tribal students from Class VI to Class XII. This may eventually improve the academic performance and pursuit for higher education for them and would lead to higher employability and sustainable income.
(v) In addition to above, to maximize retention of ST students within various stages of school education and promoting higher learning, monetary incentives are provided by Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the form of scholarships such as Pre Matric Scholarship, Post Matric Scholarship, National Overseas Scholarship, Scholarship for Top Class Education and National Fellowship for ST students.
(vi) As per Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ Guidelines for Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Plan (SCA to TSP) and grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, in intra-State sectoral activities prioritization and allocation, 40% to 50% of funds are to be allocated for education.
(vii) Ministry of Tribal Affairs has issued advisories to States for a series of measures to address issues of dropout, and for facilitating education of tribal children including development of Bilingual Primers containing text both in regional and tribal language but in local official script;school vacation to be in synchronization with major tribal festivals;residential schools (200-300 students capacity) in block headquarters for quality education and physical safety; promotion of kitchen garden and sports;school management to engage teachers to overcome shortage;100% physical enrolment of children,etc.
II.Initiatives and Schemes of Ministry of Human Resource Development include the following:
(i) The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides for free and compulsory elementary education to all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years including ST children. 109 special focus districts have been identified on the basis of the indicators like out of school children, high gender gap, low retention rate and infrastructure gap as well concentration of Scheduled Tribe population.
(ii) The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) in the National Curriculum Framework, 2005 (NCF) makes it clear that language and culture are important to all children''s learning including Scheduled Tribes. SSA aims to develop context specific interventions.
(iii) Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) scheme provides for residential schools for girls at upper primary level; a minimum of 75% seats are for minority, SC, ST and OBC girls. KGBVs cover 69% ST girls in ST Special Focus Districts.
(iv) SSA also supports provisions for textbooks to all children in Government / local body and Government aided schools andtwo sets of uniform to all girls, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) children and Below Poverty Line (BPL) children, wherever State Governments have incorporated provision of school uniforms as a child entitlement in their State RTE Rules.
(v) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 under Section 29 states that wherever practicable children should be taught in their mother tongue. In the last few years several States have taken initiatives to bridge children from tribal groups speaking a different language at home to transition to school language.
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