Executive Summary:
This document pertains to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3784 regarding the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) scheme, to be answered on 12.08.2025. It provides details on the number of Scheduled Caste students enrolled, funds allocated and spent since the scheme's inception in 2021-22, performance indicators, and measures to expand the scheme's reach. The goal is to provide quality residential education to 3,000 students annually.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Scheme Overview:**
* The SHRESHTA scheme is a Central Sector Scheme operational since 2021-22.
* It has two modes: Mode I (3,000 slots per year) and Mode II (13,500 slots per year).
* **Funding and Expenditure:**
* Annexure I details the annual cost per student for both Mode I and Mode II, including provisions for bridge courses.
* Annexure II provides a breakdown of funds allocated and released from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
* Annexure III presents state-wise details of Scheduled Caste students enrolled, funds released, and expenditure from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
* **Performance Evaluation:**
* The pass percentage of admitted students is over 99%.
* The dropout rate is low.
* **Scheme Expansion:**
* The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is publicizing the scheme among schools.
* Efforts are being made to facilitate SC students in obtaining SC certificates.
* Scheme guidelines, National Eligibility Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), are published on the ministry's website and in print media.
* Multiple counselling rounds are being organized to fill seats.
Impact Analysis:
* **Scheduled Caste Students:**
* Impact: Access to quality residential education in high schools, potential for improved academic outcomes.
* Action Required: Participate in the SHRESHTA Scheme and obtain SC certificates.
* **State/Union Territory Governments:**
* Impact: Responsible for publicizing the Scheme amongst schools and motivating SC students to participate in the SHRESHTA Scheme, as well as facilitating SC students in getting their SC certificates without delay for availing benefits of the Scheme.
* Action Required: Publicize the scheme, facilitate SC certificate issuance, and support student participation.
* **Department of Social Justice and Empowerment:**
* Impact: Responsible for administering and monitoring the scheme's effectiveness.
* Action Required: Continue implementing measures to expand the scheme's reach, monitor performance indicators (academic outcomes and dropout rates), and ensure funds are allocated and released efficiently.
Key Entities Referenced
Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas SHRESHTA: A central sector scheme aimed at providing residential education to Scheduled Caste students in high school.
Scheduled Caste: A group of historically disadvantaged communities in India, also known as Dalits, who are beneficiaries of the SHRESHTA scheme.
SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN: Member of Lok Sabha who raised a question about the SHRESHTA scheme.
SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE: Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Department of Social Justice and Empowerment: The government department responsible for the SHRESHTA scheme and the welfare of Scheduled Castes.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where questions regarding the SHRESHTA scheme were raised.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India where the SHRESHTA scheme is implemented.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India where the SHRESHTA scheme is implemented.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3784
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025
SCHEDULED CASTE ENROLLED UNDER SHRESHTA SCHEME
3784. SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of Scheduled Caste students enrolled under the Scheme for Residential
Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) scheme since inception
and total seats sanctioned thereunder in the country, State-wise;
(b) the details of the funds allocation and actual expenditure incurred under the scheme since
inception, fund distribution and per-student cost, State-wise;
(c) the details of performance indicators monitored to evaluate scheme effectiveness i in terms of
academic outcomes and drop-out rates; and
(d) the steps taken to expand the scheme's reach and timeline for achieving the target of
providing quality residential education to 3,000 students annually?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)
(a) & (b): The Central Sector Scheme, namely “Scheme for Residential Education for Students
in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA)”, in its present form, is in operation since
2021-22. Under Mode-I of the Scheme per year 3,000 slots and under Mode-II 13,500 slots have
been earmarked. The annual cost per student is at Annexure-I.
Details of funds allocated and released under the Scheme from 2021-22 and the details
of number of students enrolled, funds released (School/Project wise) located in States/Union
Territories since 2021-22 are at Annexure-II and III respectively.
(c) : The pass percentage of the admitted students under the Scheme has been more than 99
percent and the drop-out is a small percentage.
(d) : Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has taken various measures like writing
letters to States/Union Territories to publicize the Scheme amongst schools and motivate SC
students to participate in the SHRESHTA Scheme, facilitating SC students in getting their SC
certificates without delay for availing benefits of the Scheme, apart from publishing Scheme
guidelines, National Eligibility Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), etc. through website of the
ministry and print media as well. Moreover, multiple rounds of counselling are being organized
in order to fill the seats.Annexure-I
Annexure referred to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3784 to be
answered on 12.08.2025
Mode-I
Class Amount
9” 1,00,000
10° 1,10,000
11" 1,25,000
12" 1,35,000
Mode-II
Standard Amount
Residential Non-residential Hostel
Primary 44,000 27,000 30,000
Secondary 55,000 35,000 30,000
Apart from above, there is provision of bridge courses for which 10% of annual fee is
provided.Annexure-II
Annexure referred to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3784 to be
answered on 12.08.2025
The details of funds allocated and released under the Scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26:
(Rupees in cr.)
SL. No. Years Funds allocated Funds released
1 2021-22 63.21 38.04
2 2022-23 89.00 51.12
3 2023-24 90.65 81.57
4 2024-25 110.00 109.98
5 2025-26 140.00 29.35
(As on 07.08.2025)Annexure-II]
Annexure referred to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3784 to be answered on 12.08.2025
The details of Scheduled Caste Student enrolled and fund allocated and expenditure under the Scheme for Residential Education for
Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA)
(Rs. In Lakh)
S. No | State/UTs Amount No. of Amount No. of Amount No. of Amount No. of
, released Beneficiaries released Beneficiaries released | Beneficiaries | released | Beneficiaries
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
1. Andhra Pradesh 218.32 1153 261.32 457 667.24 947 1018.01 1154
2. Bihar 192.75 226 246.1 198 142.29 115 132.29 112
3. Chhattisgarh 51.5 50 154.5 130 274.75 231 385.35 324
4. Gujarat 14.71 201 31.62 163 32.18 29 92.56 129
5. Haryana 8.75 103 75.18 242 361.62 293 888.94 760
6. Himachal 9.25 9 42.64 35 67.4 56 86.07 72
Pradesh
7. Jammu & 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kashmir
8. Jharkhand 33.09 73 129.6 85 70.71 60 89.89 72
9. Karnataka 327.59 1751 279.77 887 454.52 1160 603.26 1123
10. Kerala 2.2 2 232.9 195 339.99 278 331.00 272
11. Madhya Pradesh 176.07 1062 253.87 520 379.28 547 430.44 470
12. Maharashtra 504.63 3825 744.29 4094 878.5 2982 913.99 1751
13. Orissa 336.21 1898 415.36 1264 485.06 1222 355.44 668
14. Punjab 0 0 20.25 17 48.25 39 55.34 44
15. Puducherry 0 0 8.52 7 9.8 ~ 8 5.00 4
16. Rajasthan 350.94 2360 486.9 1974 1286.45 2399 2000.12 2711
17. Tamil Nadu 154.28 440 347.02 643 404.64 341 375.49 312
18. Tripura 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
19. Uttar Pradesh 1046.44 3947 1034.38 3228 1674.65 3662 2427.01 3293
20. ° | Uttarakhand 43.3 224 62.26 84 94.64 184 121.75 160
21. West Bengal 106.55 1100 38.54 237 88.76 318 63.66 172
22. A &N Island 0 0 2.25 2 2.45 2 1.25 1
23. NCT of Delhi 81.62 500 105.82 1026 155.1 752 170.22 542
24. Assam 64.86 707 64.04 588 6.00 5 3.75 3
25. Manipur 14.31 200 0 0 11.00 25 26.46 0
26. Telangana 39.81 300 54.18 255 96.76 161 84.00 132
27. Meghalaya 24.87 300 21.66 148 0 0 0 0
Grand Total 3804.05 20435 5112.97 16479 8032.04 15816 10661.29 14281
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