**Executive Summary**
This report details the status and expansion of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) scheme as of April 1, 2026. Established to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, the initiative targets specific demographic blocks based on Census 2011 data. Currently, 723 schools have been sanctioned with 499 becoming functional, and the government maintains a continuous review process to assess requirements for additional schools.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Scheme Objectives and Scope**
* The primary goal is providing quality education to ST children within their own socio-cultural environment.
* Schools cater to students from Class VI to Class XII.
* The scheme mandates an equal number of boys and girls in each school.
**Establishment Criteria**
* Schools are established in blocks meeting "twin criteria" based on Census 2011.
* Eligibility requires a block to have more than 50% ST population.
* A minimum of 20,000 tribal persons must reside within the block.
**Current Implementation Status**
* The Government has approved a total of 728 EMRSs, including 288 older schools.
* To date, 723 schools have been sanctioned across the country.
* There are currently 499 functional schools.
* Odisha has the highest number of sanctioned schools (111), followed by Jharkhand (91) and Chhattisgarh (75).
**Ongoing Assessment**
* The assessment for additional schools is not a one-time event but a continuous process.
* Requirements are reviewed periodically to enhance access in remote and underserved areas.
**Impact Analysis**
**Scheduled Tribe (ST) Students**
**Impact**
Students gain access to quality residential education from middle to higher secondary levels (VI-XII) specifically designed to respect their socio-cultural context.
**Action Required**
Eligible students in qualified blocks should seek enrollment in functional EMRSs to utilize available educational facilities.
**Ministry of Tribal Affairs / Union Government**
**Impact**
The Ministry is responsible for the significant expansion of the scheme and the ongoing monitoring of school functionality.
**Action Required**
Continue the periodic review and assessment of blocks to identify where additional schools are required and oversee the transition of sanctioned schools to functional status.
**State and UT Governments**
**Impact**
State authorities are responsible for managing the high volume of sanctioned schools within their jurisdictions (e.g., 111 in Odisha, 71 in Madhya Pradesh).
**Action Required**
Coordinate with the Union Government to operationalize the remaining sanctioned schools that are not yet functional to bridge the gap between approval and service delivery.
Key Entities Referenced
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Scheme: An initiative to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children from classes VI to XII in their own socio-cultural environment.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The central government ministry responsible for the implementation, assessment, and sanctioning of Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
Union Budget 2018–19: The policy document that announced the significant expansion of the EMRS scheme to tribal blocks across India.
Census 2011: The official data source used to identify blocks with more than 50% ST population and 20,000 tribal persons for EMRS eligibility.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
ASSESSMENT OF REQUIREMENT FOR
ADDITIONAL EMRS
Posted On: 01 APR 2026 1:26PM by PIB Delhi
Replying to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha today the Union Minister of State Shri. Durgadas Uikey
said that in the Union Budget 2018–19, the Government announced a significant expansion of the Eklavya
Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Scheme with the objective of providing quality education to
Scheduled Tribe (ST) children in their own socio-cultural environment. Under this initiative, it was
envisaged to establish EMRSs for classes VI to XII having equal number of boys and girls in blocks
having more than 50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (twin criteria), as per the
Census 2011.
Pursuant to this announcement, the Government has approved the establishment of 728 EMRSs (
including 288 old schools ) across the country to enhance access to quality education for ST students,
particularly in remote and underserved areas.
As on date, a total of 723 EMRSs have been sanctioned, out of which 499 schools are functional. State
wise status of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is at Annexure.
(c and d): EMRS scheme has presently the provision of establishing EMRSs in a block having more than
50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons. The assessment for requirement of additional
schools is a continuous process which are reviewed from time to time.
Annexure
Annexure as referred in part (a and b) of the reply to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4298 for
01.04.2026 raised by Shri Niranjan Bishi regarding “Assessment of requirement for additional
EMRS”
State-wise/UT-wise details of status of EMRSs
Sl. No. State/UTs Total Sanctioned EMRS Functional EMRSs
1 Andhra Pradesh 28 28
2 Arunachal Pradesh 10 5
3 Assam 17 6
4 Bihar 3 25 Chhattisgarh 75 75
6 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 1 1
7 Gujarat 47 44
8 Himachal Pradesh 4 4
9 Jammu & Kashmir 6 6
10 Jharkhand 91 51
11 Karnataka 12 12
12 Kerala 4 4
13 Ladakh 3
14 Madhya Pradesh 71 63
15 Maharashtra 39 37
16 Manipur 21 5
17 Meghalaya 37 2
18 Mizoram 17 11
19 Nagaland 22 3
20 Odisha 111 47
21 Rajasthan 31 31
22 Sikkim 4 4
23 Tamil Nadu 8 8
24 Telangana 23 23
25 Tripura 21 12
26 Uttar Pradesh 4 327 Uttarakhand 4 4
28 West Bengal 9 8
Total 723 499
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