Scheduled Tribes (ST) constitute approximately 8.6% of population of India numbering around 10.45 crores as per 2011 census.

There are over 730 Scheduled Tribes notified under Article 342 of the Constitution of India.

Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) : Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) now known as Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)

National Sickle Cell Elimination Mission - to be implemented jointly by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Tribal Affairs in collaboration with ICMR and States concerned.

The Mission will cover preventive, curative and management aspects of this genetic disease in an integrated manner.

Following the announcement, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched National Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) Elimination Programme on 1st July 2023.

It aims to address the significant health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among tribal population of the country.

The mission aims to screen over 8 crore tribals for SCA under 40 years of age in the next 3 years, out of which over data for 90 lakh people has already been collected.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disease which affects the whole life of patient.

It is more common in the tribal population of India, but occurs in non tribals too.

It not only causes anemia but also pain crisis, reduced growth, and affects many organs like lungs, heart, kidney, eyes, bones and the brain.

The Objectives of the Mission is provision of affordable and accessible care to all SCD patients, quality of care for SCD patients and reduction in the prevalence of SCD through awareness creation, universalscreening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected 278 districts of tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state government.

Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, patients living with Sickle Cell disease provided with the following services/ facilities for improving their quality of life through Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC)

Regular follow-up of diseased individuals at frequent intervals.

Counseling regarding lifestyle management.

Nutritional supplementation support through distribution of folic acid tablets.

Conducting yoga and wellness sessions.

Management of crisis symptoms and referral to higher facilitiesAn action research project has been sanctioned by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to understand the efficacy of Yoga based life-style intervention (YBLI) in reducing oxidative stress and its related complications at different organ and systems level for the management of sickle cell anemia.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disease which affects the whole life of affected patient.

It is more common in the tribal population of India, but occurs in non tribals too.

It not only causes anemia but also pain crises, reduced growth, and affects many organs like lungs, heart, kidney, eyes, bones and the brain.

India has the largest density of tribal population, globally.

As per Census 2011, India has an 8.6% tribal population which is 67.8 million across the Indian states.

The MoHFW tribal health expert committee report has listed sickle cell disease as one of the 10 special problems in tribal heath that affect the tribal people disproportionately, thus making this an important intervention.

Ministry of health under NHM initiated the work on hemoglobinopathies (Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Disease) in 2016 wherein comprehensive guidelines on prevention and management of heamoglobinopathies were released and provision of funds towards screening and management of Sickle cell disease were made.

Thereafter, as per the State’s proposals, support is continuously being provided. However, the pandemic reduced the efforts towards prevention through screening and IEC activities.

Now, it is felt that a separate scheme/Mission to detect, management, prevention and awareness needs to be initiated.

Mission: To improve care of all Sickle Cell Disease patients for their better future and to lower the prevalence of the disease through multi-faced coordinated approach towards screening and awareness strategies

Vision: Eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem in India before 2047 there is need for increasing the awareness about the disease in the community, implementation of mass screening activities for early identification, building a strong network of diagnosis and linkages, implementing robust monitoring system, strengthening the existing primary health care mechanism to incorporate SCD related strategies, capacity building of primary, secondary and tertiary health care teams and building cost-effective intensive interventions at higher care facilities.

The overall aim is to enable access to affordable and quality health care to all SCD patients, and to lower the prevalence through awareness, change of practices and screening interventions.

Objectives of the Mission: Provision of affordable and accessible care to all SCD patients

To ensure quality of care for SCD patients

To reduce the prevalence of SCD

These objectives would be attained through strategies spanning awareness generation, strengthening of screening and testing facilities, strengthening of laboratory services for diagnosis, facilitation of management & treatment, establishing linkages across level of care, inter sectoral convergence towards holistic approach and linkages with social security schemes/benefit packages. Strategy: The strategy emphasizes on THREE pillars:

Health promotion- Awareness generation & pre-marital genetic counselling

Prevention: Universal screening and early detection

Holistic Management & continuum of care- Management of persons with sickle cell disease at primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels; treatment facilities at tertiary health care facilities

Patient support system

Community adoption

Beneficiaries: The program shall be carried out in a mission mode covering the entire population from zero to 18 years of age and shall incrementally include the entire population up to 40 years as a part of National Health Mission and shall focus on universal population-based screening, prevention, and management of sickle cell anemia in all tribal and other high prevalent areas States/UTs of India.

While in its initial stage, the mission would prioritize its intervention in high prevalence and tribal states/UT, the plan would subsequently expand to include all states/UTs in a phase-wise manner with an incremental approach. The mission aims to cover 7 crore people with screening, counselling for prevention and care for people with SCD in three and half years.

Initially, the focus shall be on 17 states with higher prevalence of SCD viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.

The programme would be in integration with existing mechanism and strategies under NHM to ensure utilization of existing resources and also minimizing the duplication of efforts. For example, established platform of RBSK and Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) would be leveraged to achieve the targets for the Sickle Cell mission.

Awareness Generation & Premarital Counselling: At INDIVIDUAL/Household level- Individuals with known or detected SCDs would also be encouraged to register on Sickle Cell Disease Support Corner, to bridge the gap between patients and health care services in tribal areas.

At Community level: Platforms such as monthly Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC)/ Mahila Arogya Samiti (MAS) meetings, Village/Urban Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (V/UHSND) meetings at Anganwadis, Jan Arogya Samitis in AB-HWC, Arogya Sabha, Self-Help Groups (SHG), youth clubs, parent-teachers meetings in schools, etc., shall be leveraged to sensitize people on the importance of sickle cell disease and screening service available at AB-HWCs.

Patients Support Groups (PSG)-facilitated by the MPWs/ASHA or other frontline workers to improve treatment compliance and engaging not only those with the disease condition but also family members or care givers.

Mechanisms to be established at community level for pre-marital and pre-conception screening backed by genetic counselling services. Also, at the level of community, for all individuals detected or known as carrier or patients, extended family screening is to be ensured.

At Schools: In all blocks with sickle cell disease, Community Health Officers (CHO) at Sub Health Centre – Health and Wellness Centre (SHC-HWC) and Medical Officer at Primary Health Centre – Health and Wellness Centre (PHC-HWC) shall conduct talk sessions and counselling at all schools & colleges including ‘schools tribal residential schools, tribal hostels and Ekalvya Model Residential Schools, for early detection of SCD among school going children.

AB-Health and Wellness ambassadors would also be trained information in form of interesting activities which would be either classroom based or as an outreach. o Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), one of the flagship initiatives of GoI, would be utilized as a platform to undertake and ensure all SCD related interventions at this level.

At Health Care Facility Level: Counsellors at the primary health care centres will be primarily responsible for providing counselling services to all individuals diagnosed positive with Sickle cell Anemia.

IEC and Mass media: The Health Promotion strategy recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 emphasizes institutionalizing intersectoral coordination at national and sub-national levels to optimize health outcomes, through constitution of bodies that have representation from relevant non-health ministries.

This should be in line with the emergent “Health in All” approach as complement to Health for All, and thus making the base for all planned IEC/BCC activities under this programme,Ministry of Tribal Affairs will play the pivotal role in awareness generation.

The mentees and mentors of GOAL (Going Online as Leaders) program run by the MOTA with Facebook will be used as ambassadors for generating awareness on health issues including Sickle cell disease

Engagement of CBOs/NGOs: NGOs working in the area in the sector of health especially tribal health shall also be utilized for the purpose of mobilization, awareness and providing pre-marital and prenatal screening and counselling services. The NGO involvement framework under NHM may also be referred while engaging with an NGO in these areas.

to saturate the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Mission aims to improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)

Government in Budget 2023-24 has made announcement of Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission.

The mission is aimed to improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) by saturating PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

The mission envisages availability of Rs.15,000 crore from the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes, for activities to be undertaken in the next three years under the Mission.

Field visits have been carried out by Officers of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and its attached office to the PVTG areas and as per the report submitted by the Officers it has been observed that PVTG habitations need focused approach for improvement in Infrastructure facilities including road and internet connectivity etc.

There is also need for strengthening health and Education facilities to improve school drop out rate and livelihood opportunities.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the Nodal Ministry for overall policy planning and coordination of programs for development of STs. Besides, 42 Central Ministries / Departments have been mandated by NITI Aayog for earmarking certain percentage of their total Scheme allocation every year for tribal development including education, health and economic empowerment.

Pan-India celebrations marked the Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas on 15th November, 2023 to pay tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) with total outlay of Rs. 24,104 crore (Central Share: Rs.15,336 crore and State Share: Rs.8,768 crore) to focus on 11 critical interventions through 9-line Ministries.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched PM-JANMAN Mission for development of most Vulnerable Tribal Groups, on the occasion of the Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas (15th November, 2023).

He also launched the portal on PM Gatishatki Platform which will used for reaching out and monitoring the progress and outcomes of the PM-JANMAN.

India has 75 communities located in 18 States and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands that have been categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Ministry of Tribal Affairs rolls out first phase of PM-JANMAN along with 9-line Ministries in 100 districts pan India from 25th December, 2023

The Ministry launched the first phase of PM JANMAN scheme in 100 districts along with 9-line Ministries and District administration to ensure saturation of 11 basic amenities to the PVTGs across India.

Under this campaign, camps are being set up at tribal habitations and basic amenities are being delivered to the tribal population through Aadhar enrollment, PM Jandhan accounts, issue of community certificates, Ayushman Bharat enrollment, FRA patta distribution, Kisan Credit Card enrollment etc.

Wide scale sensitization and publicity is being done by the ministry through Information, Education & Communication (IEC) materials.

Who are PVTGs? What challenges have govt schemes for their development faced so far? How does the PM JANMAN aim to be different? Two senior officials explain.

In addition, saturation will also be ensured for schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100% immunisation, PM Poshan, PM Jan Dhan Yojana, etc.

This initiative is part of the Pradhan Mantri-PVTG Development Mission announced in India’s 2022-23 Union Budget, allocating Rs 15,000 crore over three years to develop them.

Who are PVTGs? In 1960-61, the Dhebar Commission identified disparities among Scheduled Tribes, leading to the creation of the “Primitive Tribal Groups” (PTG) category. In 2006, this category was renamed Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Initially identifying 52 groups, the category was expanded to include 75 groups in 22,544 villages across 18 states and one Union Territory of India, totalling about 28 lakh individuals.

These groups, living mainly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, are characterised by pre-agricultural lifestyles, low literacy, small or stagnant populations, and subsistence economies.

Population sizes vary significantly, from under 1,000 in some groups, such as the Great Andamanese (around 50) and the Onge (around 100), to over 1 lakh in others, such as Maria Gond of Maharashtra and Saura in Odisha. Some tribes in central India, like Birhor, face stagnation, while the Onge and Andamanese are experiencing a decline.

What are the challenges in their development? PVTGs are severely marginalised due to their isolation, low population, and distinct socio-economic and cultural traits. They struggle with limited access to basic services, social discrimination, and vulnerability to displacement from development and natural disasters. They have little political representation, hindering their participation in decision-making.

Mainstream society often overlooks their traditional knowledge and practices, and stereotypes about their backwardness are prevalent.

They are also battling loss of traditional livelihoods and resource rights, lack of market knowledge for Non-Timber Forest Produce, and exploitation by middlemen, threatening their traditional occupations.

What schemes have been floated for them? The Centre and state governments have introduced several initiatives to support PVTGs. The PVTG Development Plan provides education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities while preserving traditional knowledge. The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) focuses on market linkages and Minor Forest Produce (MFP) procurement at Minimum Support Prices.

Other significant schemes include the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), which collectively aim for the holistic development of tribal areas.

Additional measures like Eklavya Model Residential Schools, land titles under the Forest Rights Act 2006, Support to Tribal Research Institute (STRI) scheme, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996, and direct recruitment through reservations further aid in education, self-governance, and protection against discrimination.

However, challenges in implementation, such as resource limitations, lack of awareness, and unequal treatment among different PVTG groups have affected the effectiveness of these schemes.

What does PM-JANMAN do differently? Proper identification and recognition: The criteria for identifying PVTGs have been criticised for being outdated. Some PVTGs are not recognised as Scheduled Tribes in certain states, and the list containing repetitive names has led to confusion and exclusion.

A 2014 report by Dr. Hrusikesh Panda, Secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and a 2015 report by Virginius Xaxa highlighted these concerns. The actual number of PVTGs is around 63, accounting for overlaps and repetitions, as per the publication ‘The Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of India — Privileges and Predicaments’ by the Anthropological Survey of India.

Baseline surveys have only been conducted for about 40 PVTG groups, emphasising the need for targeted development planning. The government’s initiative to create a Human Development Index for PVTGs is a significant step towards addressing these vulnerabilities.

Participatory bottom-up approach: To help PVTGs effectively, the scheme abandons the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach in favour of customised strategies that respect their unique needs and priorities.

It actively involves PVTGs in decision-making, addressing land rights, social inclusion, and cultural preservation.

This community-based strategy embraces their cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions, ensuring their participation in planning, implementing, and monitoring development projects.

Livelihood promotion: Providing skills training and resources, like land and credit, will help in sustainable livelihoods. Implementing the Forest Rights Act by granting land titles secures access to forest resources. Section 3(1)(e) of the FRA specifically supports the rights of primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities.

Additionally, encouraging traditional technologies and skill enhancement through industry partnerships will help maintain cultural heritage while promoting sustainable development.

Health, nutrition and education: Outreach strategies like Mobile Medical Health Units will be crucial for providing healthcare in remote areas. These strategies need to be tailored for specific health issues like teenage pregnancies and oral health, and overcoming language and cultural barriers through sensitised healthcare workers or hiring those from within the community. Collaboration with trusted traditional healers can also aid in addressing complex health issues.

Incorporating their culture and language into the curriculum, providing transportation, and training teachers about PVTG cultural contexts can enhance education accessibility. Additionally, incentives for personnel working in PVTG areas and special educational institutes focused on PVTG needs can further improve opportunities for these communities.

Infrastructure development: The habitations of PVTGs often don’t meet the criteria for schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission due to factors like population requirements or lack of surveys.

Guidelines for infrastructure schemes, thus, have been relaxed to improve access to housing, water, sanitation, electricity, and connectivity. Adopting a tola-based (habitation) approach rather than a Gram Panchayat-based approach for development planning will better address these communities’ specific needs.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav, the mega National Tribal Festival, at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on 16th February, 2023.

Aadi Mahotsav is an attempt to showcase tribal culture on the national stage and it celebrates the spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce and traditional art.

It is an annual initiative of the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Limited (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) as an autonomous organization has been set up under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to establish, endow, maintain, control and manage the schools.

The aims and objectives of NESTS are: 1. To establish, endow, maintain, control and manage schools {Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Eklavya Model Day Boarding Schools (EMDBS) and Centre of Excellence for Sports} and to do all acts and things necessary for or conducive to the promotion of schools which will have the following objective:

To provide quality modern education – including a strong component of inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure activities and physical education – to the talented tribal children predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

To provide facilities, at a suitable stage, for instruction through a common medium all over the country.

Offer a common core-curriculum of ensuring comparability in standards and to facilitate and understanding of the common and composite heritage of tribal people.

To progressively bring students from one part of the country to another in each school to promote national integration and enrich the social content.

To serve as a focal point for improvement in quality of school education through training of teachers in live situations and sharing of experience and facilities.

To provide opportunities to students for extra-curricular activities moving towards Centre of Excellence in sports etc.

To facilitate students developing pride in national culture, preserving and cherishing tribal heritage, tribal culture, music, dance and other arts.

To help students acquire skills particularly those oriented to employment including self-employment.

To strive to achieve best academic standards, excellence in sports and extra-curricular activities.

This is a Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and every year 20 fresh ST students are given scholarship for pursuing Master Degree, Ph.D, Post-Doctoral courses at abroad. The applications are invited online on National Overseas Portal.

The detailed guidelines of scheme, Instruction manual, and all information required for filling application is available here.

The portal is integrated with Digital Locker and fetches documents already available there and also has facility to upload documents not available on digilocker.

The registered student can upload their queries and grievance on portal.

There is provision of sending alerts/notifications through individual or bulk SMS and Emails to students. For monitoring purposes, it is linked to the Dashboard.

The Scheme aims at recognizing and promoting quality education amongst students belonging to SCs, by providing financial support. The Scheme will cover SC students for pursuing studies beyond 12th class.

The Scheme will operate in all the institutions notified by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for FY 2023-24 to 2025-26.

The scholarship, once awarded, will continue till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory performance of the student.

Eligibility: Those SC students having total annual family income from all sources up to Rs. 8.00 lakh and having secured admission in a full-time prescribed course in any of the notified institutions according to the general selection criteria prescribed by the concerned institution, will be eligible for scholarship under the Scheme to the extent of the number of scholarships (slots) allocated to the institution for the course.

Income declaration of self-employed parents/guardian should be in the form of a certificate issued by revenue officer not below the rank of Tehsildar.

Employed parents/guardians are required to obtain income certificate from their employer.

Employed parents/guardians should obtain consolidated certificate from revenue officer for any other additional source of income.

In case the number of eligible students admitted exceeds the number of slots allotted to the institution, the scholarship will be restricted to the top students in the inter-se merit list based on the admission criteria for the course

However, if there is more than one student with equal marks for the last available slot in an institution, preference should be given to the student with the lower family income.

The remaining students from SC category admitted in the institution shall be eligible for the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) administered by this Ministry through State Governments/UT Administrations, provided such students are otherwise eligible under the said scheme.

Fresh scholarship will be awarded only to 1st year students. Students of 2nd/3rd/4th year will not be eligible for selection for fresh scholarship.

Thirty percent (30%) of slots allotted to the Institution shall be reserved for eligible SC girl students as per their inter-se merit. In the absence of sufficient number of girl students, the slots may be transferred to eligible boy students as per their inter-se merit.

However, the 30% slots as mentioned above will not include those girl students who are selected on the basis of their performance in the overall merit list of SC students of the Institution.

The benefit of the Scheme will not be provided to more than 2 siblings in a family. The students will submit an affidavit in the Institution to certify that he/she is not the third sibling of the family who is availing benefit under the Scheme.

The scholarship will be terminated if the student fails to get promoted to the next semester/class. However, once such student gets promoted to the next class, the scholarship shall be released suo moto.

In case a student changes his/her institute/college after getting selected under the scheme, his/her scholarship will be discontinued and he/she will not be eligible for further scholarship under this scheme.

‘Top Class’ Institutions and Number of Scholarship Slots

All the IIMs / IITs/ IIITs / AIIMSs/ NITs/NIFTs/ NIDs/ IHMs/NLUs and other Central Government Institutions will be eligible to be included in the Scheme, subject to their applying for being included in the Scheme and recommendation by the Selection Committee under the scheme, or if the Selection Committee itself recommends the name of the institute for inclusion in the list of empanelled institutes of the scheme.

If an institution is not in any of the above categories, it has to be included in the current list of i). National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) A++ and A+ Accredited Institutions or ii) Top 100 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Institutions or iii) Institutions of National Importance as per lists issued by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) from time to time.

The scheme covers professional, technical as well as non-professional and non-technical courses at various levels including correspondence courses covering distance and continuing education.

The Scheme was introduced during the year 1944-45 and has since been revised from time to time.

A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.

100% Central assistance over and above the committed liability of the States Governments/UTs Admn. from the Government of India.

The Scheme provides financial assistance to the Scheduled Tribe students studying at post matriculation or post-secondary stage.

Scholarships are available for studies in India only.

The State Government and UT to which the applicant actually belongs awards the scholarship.

The scheme also covers central assistance to States/UTs for setting up Book Banks.

Eligibility: Scholarships are paid to students whose parents’/guardians’ income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 2.50 lakh per annum.

All children of the same parents/guardian are eligible.

Scheduled Tribe candidates who have passed the matriculation or higher secondary or any higher examination of a recognized University or Board of Secondary Education are eligible.

The scholarships are available for the study of all recognized post matriculation or postsecondary courses in recognized institutions except certain identified training courses like Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Courses, Private Pilot Licence courses etc.

Students studying through correspondence courses are eligible.

Employed students on leave without pay for the entire duration of a full time course are eligible for course.

The scholarship holder under this scheme will not hold any other scholarship/stipend.

Students who have received coaching in any of the pre-examination training centres with financial assistance from the Government will not be eligible.

Under the scheme, Fellowships are provided to ST students to take up higher studies after completing Post Graduation, such as M.Phil and Ph.D courses.

In order to remove layers resulting in time lag and to facilitate proper control over the implementation and monitoring of the two Central sector scholarship schemes for ST students viz; Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship and Top Class Education, the Ministry merged these two schemes into a single Central Sector Scheme called "National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students". Guidelines were issued on 20th April, 2015.

Fellowship: The objective of the scheme is to encourage the ST students, a section of society with the lowest literacy level s in the country, to acquire higher education in the form of fellowships to pursue M. Phil and Ph. D. Courses, with a view to create qualified professionals to hold posts of teachers /professionals and other higher stages of employment

Scholarship: ST Students is intended to encourage meritorious ST students to pursue courses at Graduate/Post Graduate level in identified Institutions of excellence, Government and Private, in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology, Law etc.

The candidate belonging to ST should have passed the Post-Graduation examination for being eligible for the Fellowship. The candidate should get admission and registration for regular and full time M.Phil/Ph.D Courses in University / Academic Institutions recognized by UGC under Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act / ICAR by fulfilling conditions of admission of that University/Institution.

The list of University/Academic Institution as referred to in sub para (i) above shall be identified by ministry.

The ST students once considered eligible for the Fellowship shall not be entitled for any other scholarship of the Centre or Stat e Government the same study.

The fellowship shall be payable once the student has secured admission and started the research work.

In order to qualify for Senior Research Fellowship a candidate will have to fulfill the UGC/ICAR norms prescribed in this regard.

Scholarship: ST students who have secured admission in the notified Institutions according to the norms prescribed by the respective Institutions will be eligible for the scholarship under the scheme.

The student will be eligible to join only the list of Institution identified by Ministry.

The total family income of the candidate to be eligible for this scholarship from all sources should not exceed Rs.6.0 lakh per annum.

The scholarship shall be payable once the student has secured admission and started attending the classes.

The scholarship awarded, will continue till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory performance of the student.

The total number of fresh fellowships each year, will be 750.

In case of non-availability of adequate number of Scheduled Tribe candidates, the number of fellowships not availed during a year will be carried forward to the next academic session.

There is no State /University wise ceiling on number of slots.

In case the number of candidates exceeds the number of available awards, the MoTA will select the candidates based on a criterion of marks obtained in the last passed examination. Slots will be provided to sub-categories in the following priority:

In case of adequate number of application is not received for the above sub-category, then slots will be allotted to eligible ST candidates on the basis of inter-se merit based on last passed examination.

The total number of fresh Scholarship each year is 1000. There is no ceiling in Institution wise and stream wise number of slots for the Top-Class Institution.

The remaining left out candidates from ST category admitted in the institute in different courses may apply for the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) administered by this Ministry as a Centrally sponsored scheme, provided such students are otherwise eligible for the said scheme.

Duration of Fellowship: M. Phil: 2 years, Ph.D: 5 years

Fellowship : The Scheme of Fellowship will be advertised in the leading newspapers, Employment News. Candidates shall, after getting registration/admission in the notified Universities/Institutes and after assessing their eligibility and suitability as per the criteria prescribed for Fellowship, apply online through the National Tribal Fellowship Portal.

Scholarship : Candidates shall, after getting registration/admission in the notified Universities/Institutes and after assessing their eligibility and suitability as per the criteria prescribed for Scholarship apply online through the Scholarship Portal strictly within the cutoff date and time given in the advertisement.

Payment of the Fellowship/Scholarship amount of the scheme for STs would be made through the system of Direct Benefit Transfer through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge into the Aadhaar seeded bank a/c of the beneficiaries from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

The selected candidates should obtain the Aadhaar number on priority basis. Pending Aadhaar seeding of the beneficiary bank a/c, payment would be made into the bank account through NEFT.

A centrally sponsored scholarship scheme by Ministry of Tribal Affairs for students from scheduled tribes, for pursuing education in Class 9th and 10th. Scholarships are paid @ ₹ 225/- per month for Day Scholars and @ ₹ 525/- per month for Hostellers, for a period of 10 months in a year.

OBJECTIVES: To support ST children studying in classes 9th and 10th so that the incidence of dropout, especially in transition from elementary to secondary stage is minimized, and ST students can have a better chance of progressing to the post-matric stage of education.

SCOPE Scholarship under the Scheme will be available to ST students for studies in India and will be directly transferred to the account of the student. The scholarship will be awarded by the Government of the State/Union Territory to which the applicant belongs as per the terms of domicile decided by the State/UT.

The disability as defined under the Act has to be certified by a competent medical authority of the State Govt./UT Administration. The provisions of disability allowance will also apply to leprosy-cured and students having sickle cell anemia or Thalassemia, with the necessary certificate.

Duration of the Scholarship: The scholarship will be payable for 10 months in an academic year. Additional Disability Allowance will be paid for all twelve months.

Renewal of the Scholarship: The award once made will continue subject to good conduct and regularity in attendance. It will be renewed for Class X after the student passes class IX.

Eligibility The applicant student should belong to the Scheduled Tribe, so specified in relation to the State/Union Territory to which he/she actually belongs (Domicile State).

The student should be studying in a Government School or in a School recognized by the Government or a Central/State Board of Secondary Education.

The family income of the student from all sources should not exceed ₹ 2,50,000 per annum.

The student should have a valid account in a Scheduled Bank, linked with Aadhaar and mobile number.

The student should not be getting any other scholarship.

Scholarships for studying in any class will be available for only one year. If a student has to repeat a class, he/she would not get a scholarship for the same class twice. The student can renew the scholarship for the next class when he/she is promoted.

Exclusions - The student should not be getting any other scholarship.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), under Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched the Phase II of the ‘Amazon Future Engineer Programme’ in 54 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) spread across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.

The second phase would include an Advanced Block Programming and Artificial Intelligence curriculum.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Coast Guard, celebrated ‘Adi Shaurya - Parv Parakram Ka’ with a colourful showcase of tribal dances, and performances by the Armed forces on Parakram Diwas to commemorate the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Shri Arjun Munda participated in the mega job fair organized by the Ministry of Skill Development in association with Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

The fair was a unique example of public-private partnership and was attended by leading automotive companies, offering job opportunities to the tribal youth to become trained technicians for two and four-wheelers.

In the job fair more than 350 candidates selected in different job roles by 11 companies.

Shri Arjun Munda has also visited Dugong Creek in Little Andaman Island to meet ‘Onge’ PVTG community. On this occasion, he inaugurated the computer lab in the primary school and also interacted with the children of 'Onge' tribe.

Shri Arjun Munda launched Central Sector Scheme ‘Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER)’ in Manipur on 18th April, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from the North-Eastern Region (PTP-NER) is a great scheme.

The scheme is aimed at improving the lives of the talented artisans belonging to the Northeast.

Mr. Modi said that this scheme will ensure great visibility to products from the Northeast and the tribal communities will particularly benefit from it.

Government has approved Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th February,2023 for comprehensive development of the select villages in 46 blocks in 19 districts of abutting northern border in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and UT of Ladakh.

The programme envisages focused areas of interventions in the select villages for creation of opportunities for livelihood generation through promotion of tourism & cultural heritage, skill development & entrepreneurship and development of cooperative societies including agriculture/horticulture, cultivation of medicinal plants/herbs etc.

the interventions also include providing road connectivity to unconnected villages, housing & village infrastructures, energy including renewable energy, television & telecom connectivity.

The objective of the programme is to create sufficient incentives for people to stay on in the selected villages.

In all the census villages/towns, semi urban and urban areas located with 0-10 kms. distance (aerial distance) from the first habitation at International Boundary (IB) in 16 States & 2 UTs abutting land borders, works/projects for identified gaps in essential infrastructure pertaining to road & bridges, health, Education, agriculture, sports, drinking water & sanitation, Anganwadi, community centre, small scale industries etc. have been approved under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP).

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Shri Arjun Munda and Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Patel inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav at Ahmedabad and paid a reverent tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda inaugurated the Aadi Mahotsav - the National Tribal Festival – on 7th October, 2023 at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.

The mega event was organized by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): EMRS started in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas in order to enable 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 on the all-round development of the students. Each school has a capacity of 480 students, catering to students from Class VI to XII. Hitherto, grants were given for construction of schools and recurring expenses to the State Governments under Grants under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution.

In order to give further impetus to EMRS, it has been decided that by the year 2022, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an EMRS. Eklavya schools will be on par with Navodaya Vidyalaya and will have special facilities for preserving local art and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development. Across the country, as per census 2011 figures, there are 564 such sub-districts out of which there is an EMRS in 102 sub-districts. Thus, 462 new schools have to be opened by the year 2022.

Eklavya Model Day Boarding Schools (EMDBS): Wherever density of ST population is higher in identified Sub-Districts (90% or more), it is proposed to set up Eklavya Model Day Boarding School (EMDBS) on an experimental basis for providing additional scope for ST Students seeking to avail school education without residential facility.

Centre of Excellence for Sports (CoE for Sports): Dedicated infrastructure for setting up Centre of Excellence for sports with all related infrastructure (buildings, equipment’s etc.) is supported. This Centre of Excellence will have specialized state-of-the-art facilities for one identified individual sport and one group sport in each State. These CoE for Sports will have the State-of-the-Art facilities, equipment and scientific back up along with specialized training, boarding and lodging facilities, sports kit, sports equipment, competition exposure, insurance, medical expenses etc. as per norms of Sports Authority of India.

Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is a Government of India scheme for model residential school for Indian tribals (ST, Scheduled Tribes) across India. It is one of the flagship interventions of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and was introduced in the year 1997-98 to ensure tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas. EMRSs are set up in States/UTs with grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India. As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2023.

Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is a Government of India scheme for model residential school, specifically for Scheduled Tribes across India. It is one of the flagship interventions of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and was introduced in the year 1997-98 to ensure tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas. EMRSs are set up in States/UTs with grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India. As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.

The government gives one time ₹30 lakh grant for establishing the school, thereafter up to ₹30 lakh per school annually. Additional cost is borne by state governments. At the end of 2018, a total of 284 EMRSs have been sanctioned with maximum of 32 approved in Madhya Pradesh.

There is around 226 EMRSs functional across the country and 68 of them are affiliated to the CBSE.

Introduction: In the context of the trend of establishing quality residential schools for the promotion of 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 (JNVs), the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) and the Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs).

Objectives: a) Comprehensive physical, mental and socially relevant development of all students enrolled in each and every EMRS. Students will be empowered to be change agents, beginning in their school, in their homes, in their village and finally in a larger context.

b) 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,

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

d) Support the construction of infrastructure that provides education, physical, environmental and cultural needs of student life.

Structure of EMRS: Admission to these schools will be through selection/competition with suitable provision for preference to children belonging to Primitive Tribal Groups, first generation students, etc.

Sufficient land would be given by the State Government for the school, play grounds, hostels, residential quarters, etc., free of cost.

The number of seats for boys and girls will be equal.

In these schools, education will be entirely free.

Every class can have maximum 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 (class XI & XII), there will be three sections per class for the three streams in Science, Commerce & Humanities. The maximum sanctioned strength of the each section may be 30 students. In case of short fall in a section, ST students from other schools may be admitted as per procedure mentioned at above para (a).

The entire school building including library, laboratories and toilets should be accessible to children with disabilities.

Building And Design Layout: (i) The land allocation for each school should be 20 acres of which up to 3.5 acres may be used for the construction purposes. The remaining area must be maintained properly and a reasonable portion may be earmarked for sports/ games.

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

(iii) The design of the EMRS must take certain essential components into account as well as local, environmental characteristics. A list of suggested essential components is at Annexure.

iv) The norms and standards of a school in respect of ‘Building’ as laid down in the Schedule to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, shall be strictly ensured.

The capital cost for the school complex, including hostels and staff quarters will now be Rs. 12.00 crore with a provision to go up to Rs.16.00 crore in hill areas, deserts and islands. Any escalation will have to be met by State Government/UT.

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.

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.

The annual budget for recurring expenditure shall be formulated and placed before the Management Committee for approval at the end of the each financial year for the next year. The rates for calculation of recurring costs may be based on the prevailing rates sanctioned for the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya from time to time.

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. The bank account of each EMRS for this purpose 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.