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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3024
TO BE ANSWERED ON- 18/03/2026
EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR TRIBALS IN MAHARASHTRA
3024 SHRI DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK:
Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) details regarding education and skill development initiatives for tribal communities in
Maharashtra over the last five years;
(b) how many students have received scholarships, vocational training and support for higher
education;
(c) what measures are being implemented to improve school infrastructure, digital learning
access and enrollment rates among tribal children; and
(d) how does the Ministry coordinate with Maharashtra State authorities to ensure inclusive
education, bridge literacy gaps, provide employment-oriented skill training and enhance
opportunities for youth from tribal areas, thereby promoting social mobility, empowerment and
sustainable livelihoods for Maharashtra's tribal population?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)
(a): The Ministry is implementing various schemes such as EMRS, Pre Matric Scholarship
and Post Matric Scholarship scheme for tribal communities in the country including the State
of Maharashtra:
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)
aims to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their
own environment. Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish one EMRS in
every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per
census 2011).
Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST students: The scheme is applicable to students who are
studying in Classes IX –X. Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50
lakhs per annum. Scholarship of Rs.225/-per month for day scholars and Rs.525/-per month
for hostellers is given for a period of 10 months in a year.
Post Matric Scholarship to ST students: The objective of the scheme is to provide financial
assistance to the Scheduled Tribe students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary
levels to enable them to complete their education. Parental income from all sources should not
be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum.PMJVM: The Ministry is implementing the scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission
(PMJVM)’ through Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India
(TRIFED) which envisions to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate
livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self-managed, optimum use of
natural resources, agri/minor Forest Produce (MFPs) / non-farm produce. Under the scheme,
financial support is provided to the State Governments for setting up of Van Dhan Vikas
Kendras (VDVKs) which are the centres of value addition activities of MFPs/Non-MFPs.
National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Central Public
Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, provides credit linkage by
extending concessional loans to the eligible Scheduled Tribe persons for undertaking income
generation activities/ self-employment thereby instilling the spirit of entrepreneurship. The
prominent schemes of NSTFDC are Term Loan Scheme, Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana
(AMSY), Micro Credit Scheme for Self Help Groups (MCF) and Adivasi Shiksha Rrinn
Yojana (ASRY).
Term Loan Scheme: NSTFDC provides Term Loan for viable projects costing upto ₹50.00
lakh per unit. Under the scheme, financial assistance is extended upto 90% of the cost of the
project and the balance is met by way of subsidy/ promoter contribution/ margin money.
Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY): This is an exclusive scheme for economic
development of Scheduled Tribes Women. Under the scheme, NSTFDC provides loan upto
90% for projects costing upto ₹2 lakh.
Micro Credit Scheme for Self Help Groups (MCF): This is an exclusive scheme for Self
Help Groups for meeting small loan requirement of ST member. Under the scheme, the
Corporation provides loans upto ₹50,000/- per member and maximum ₹5 Lakh per Self Help
Group (SHG).
Adivasi Shiksha Rrinn Yojana (ASRY): This is an education loan scheme to enable the ST
students to meet expenditure for pursuing technical and professional education including Ph.D.
in India. Under this scheme, the Corporation provides financial assistance upto ₹10 lakh per
eligible family. The students are eligible for interest subsidy from Ministry of Education, Govt.
of India, during the moratorium period i.e. course period plus one year after completion of
course or six months after getting the job, whichever is earlier.
Amount of loan disbursed by NSTFDC and beneficiaries: (Rs in lakhs)
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25*
NS ol.
.
State
Amount
benN efo ic. io af
r ies
Amount
benN efo ic. io af
r ies
Amount
benN efo ic. io af
r ies
Amount
benN efo ic. io af
r ies
Amount
benN efo ic. io af
r ies
1 Maharashtra 37.27 822 209.06 7408 658.19 1204 2523.52 1528 567.76 1005
*Provisional(b): As informed by the State Government of Maharashtra the following scholarships and
financial assistance schemes are provided:
1. Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship (GoI PMS)
2. Tuition Fees and Examination Fees (Freeship)
3. Reimbursement of Tuition Fees for Professional Courses
4. Maintenance Allowance for Scheduled Tribe students pursuing Professional Courses
5. Scholarship for Higher Education Abroad (Overseas Scholarship)
Subject to the income limit of the parents (Bharat Sarkar Scholarship – income less than
₹2.50 lakh; Freeship and Professional Courses – income more than ₹2.50 lakh), the following
scholarships are provided to their children. The number of beneficiaries is as follows:
Net Approved By Pending At Approved By Pending At Bill Generated
Scheme
Received Institute Institute Department Department student
Post Matric Scholarship
Scheme (Government Of 1,63,112 1,25,441 28,689 1,03,082 22,359 73,161
India)
Tuition Fee & Exam Fee for
6,287 4,322 1,424 3,939 383 3,433
Tribal Students (Freeship)
Vocational Education Fee
2,531 2,055 282 1,940 115 1,670
Reimbursement
Vocational Education
400 272 102 195 77 127
Maintenance Allowance
Paid as per
Foreign Scholarship 10 - - 10 -
Student Demand
Total 1,72,345 1,32,099 30,503 1,09,163 22,936 78,391Year-wise funds utilized and number of students who received assistance under Post Matric
Scholarship scheme in the State of Maharashtra:
(₹ in Crore)
Name of th F.Y. 2020-21 F.Y. 2021-22 F.Y. 2022-23 F.Y. 2023-24 F.Y. 2024-25 F.Y. 2025-26
e State/UT
Fund Benefi Fund Benefi Fund Benefi Fund Benefi Fund Benefi Fund Beneficiari
Releas ciaries Releas ciaries Releas ciaries Releas ciaries Releas ciaries Releas es (estimate
ed ed ed ed ed ed d)
(UC no
t due)
Maharashtra 181.50 15750 192.15 13073 90.27 13591 570.36 13916 117.81 14478 379.10 146554
3 2 5 5 5
There are 500 Government Ashram Schools, 557 Aided Ashram Schools, and 37 Eklavya
Model Residential Schools (EMRS). The student enrolment in Government Ashram Schools
is 2,04,210 and 2,61,836 in Aided Ashram Schools and 11,286 in Eklavya Model Residential
Schools till date.
Year Wise list of functional EMRSs and Enrolment:
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Sl. State FunctionEnrolFunctionEnrolFunctionEnrolFunctionEnrolFunctionEnrol
No / UT al EMR ment al EMR ment al EMR ment al EMR ment al EMR ment
S S S S S
1 Mahar 25 6272 31 7062 37 8048 37 9010 37 1009
ashtra 2
YEAR WISE FUNDS RELEASED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF EMRS
SINCE INCEPTION OF NESTS TILL 28.02.2026
(Rs. In lakhs)
Name of 2025-26
S.No the 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 (Till
State/UT 28.02.2026)
1 Maharashtra 2,787.16 4,393.74 12,919.16 8,525.91 30,489.87 20,122.96(c): As informed by the State Government of Maharashtra, under the first phase of the project
‘Selection of Service Provider for Establishing Digital Environment in Government Ashram
Schools in the State of Maharashtra’, digital education facilities are being provided to 121
Ashram Schools, of which preliminary teaching activities have already commenced in 118
schools.
The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), regularly reviews
outcome indicators under the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Scheme.
Monitoring focuses on student enrolment, attendance, academic performance, transition to
higher classes, and availability of basic infrastructure such as hostels, classrooms, sanitation,
drinking water, electricity and digital facilities. These outcomes are reviewed through periodic
inspections, MIS and reports from State EMRS Societies, and corrective measures are
undertaken as required to ensure improved educational and developmental outcomes for EMRS
students.
Under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) mission
for socio-economic development of PVTG communities, 25 hostels have been sanctioned in
the State of Maharashtra for improving access to education.
(d): Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan of the Central and State Governments, free education
is provided to all students in the State as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, and surveys of
out-of-school children are conducted regularly. In this regard, coordination with out-of-school
children is maintained through the teachers working in the Ashram Schools of the Tribal
Development Department, and enrollment drives are conducted annually.
Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training
through an extensive network of skill development centres under various schemes, viz. Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme, National
Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country
including tribal peoples of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The SIM aims at enabling the youth
of India to get future-ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): A flagship short-term training initiative that
provides skill development opportunities through classroom training (STT) as well as
upskilling and reskilling through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to youth across the
country.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme: A community-based skill development program focused
on imparting vocational skills to non-literates, neo-literates, school dropouts, and individuals
with rudimentary education (up to 12th standard), primarily in the age group of 15–45 years.
Special focus is placed on women, SC, ST, OBC, minorities, and persons with disabilities in
rural and urban low income areas.Pradhan Mantri–National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS): This scheme aims
to mainstream apprenticeship training by providing financial incentives for stipends and
encouraging industry participation. Apprenticeship training comprises Basic Training followed
by On-the-Job or Practical Training at workplaces.
Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS): A long-term vocational training program delivered through
a vast network of ITIs across the country. CTS caters to a wide range of sectors, equipping
youth with skills for wage employment, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance.
Funds disbursed under PMKVY in Maharashtra in last 3 yrs (till 31-Dec-2025)
(Rs. in crore)
State FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 TOTAL
MAHARASHTRA 43.13 44.44 4.61 92.18
Funds disbursed under PM Vishwakarma in Maharashtra in last 3 yrs (till 31-Dec-2025)
(Rs. in crore)
State FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 Grand Total
Maharashtra 6.98 135.49 46.65 189.12
As informed by the State Government of Maharashtra, under the State-level Sponsored Nucleus
Budget Scheme for Sustainable Livelihood in the Tribal Development Department,
beneficiaries are provided financial assistance based on their requirements for starting
businesses. Individual beneficiaries receive ₹50,000, while group beneficiaries receive
₹7,50,000. Similarly, under the Rani Durgavati Women Empowerment Scheme, 100% subsidy
is provided to tribal women and self-help groups.
Further, the “Employment-Oriented Skill Development Training Program under the Tribal
Development Department” is being implemented through the Shabari Vitta Va Vikas
Mahamandal Marya, Nashik with the objective of developing the skills of candidates from the
tribal community aged between 18 and 45 years and providing them with various employment
opportunities. The objective of the scheme is to provide employment and self-employment
opportunities at the local level to candidates from the tribal community through various
employment-oriented skill development training programs for candidates belonging to
Scheduled Tribes in Maharashtra aged between 18 and 45 years.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs coordinates with State Governments, including the Government
of Maharashtra, through multiple mechanisms to promote inclusive education, skill
development and livelihood opportunities for Scheduled Tribes. The Eklavya Model
Residential Schools (EMRS) scheme is implemented through the National Education Society
for Tribal Students (NESTS) under the Ministry, which works in coordination with State
Governments through designated State implementing agencies for establishment and
management of EMRSs.Periodic review meetings are conducted under the framework of DAPST to review the
allocation and expenditure under various schemes by the obligated Ministries/Departments.
Committees have been constituted at the State, District and Block levels for effective
implementation, coordination and monitoring of the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh
Abhiyan. These include a State-Level Apex Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary,
District-Level Committees chaired by District Collectors and Block-Level Implementation
Teams to facilitate implementation at the grassroots level.
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