Government to fund studies of 3,500 SC kids in top private boarding schools
The ministries of education and social justice & empowerment have joined hands to launch the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (Shreshta) from this academic session, ET has learnt.
Starting from 2022-23, the Centre will fund the education of 3,500 talented Scheduled Caste children in top-rated private residential schools every year, prime them with bridge courses, monitor their progress and shift up to higher education.
The ministries of education and social justice & empowerment have joined hands to launch the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (Shreshta) from this academic session, ET has learnt.
The idea is to provide access to high-quality education to "bright SC students in the best schools in the country, thereby securing their future opportunities". The selection of the students - at levels of class 6, 9 and 11 - will be done annually through the nationwide Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) entrance exam, which is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. It is envisaged that 2,000 children at the class 6 level, 1,000 at class 9 level and 500 at the Class 11 will be selected annually under the scheme. In five years', time, more than 13,000 meritorious SC students are expected to benefit from the programme.
The education of the selected children will be government funded until Class 12. Scholarships starting from ₹75,000 per annum per student for class 6 to ₹1.35 lakh in class 12 - covering tuition fee and hostel fee - is to be borne by the Centre. It is expected to cost the government ₹325.75 crore between 2022-23 and 2025-26.
The selected SC students would be offered a choice to either to choose the JNV of their district, or to opt for a Shreshta-linked school in their state. Once the option is exercised, the school would automatically, and without any further test, admit the student in the suitable class, without asking for upfront payment of the school and hostel fees.
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The fee would be deposited by the government in the school account within 30 days from the date of confirmation of admission. At the time of joining the school, the students will also be run through a three-month bridge course so that they can catch up with the rest of the class, address learning gaps if any and acquire capability to adapt to the school environment.
