41% teachers posts lying vacant in Eklavya model schools: Govt told Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The proportionate teachers requirement in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) is 7,030 and presently there are 4,138 posts filled, that is 41% teachers posts are lying vacant, the government told the Rajya Sabha.

According to the guidelines issued to state EMRS Societies and state governments, there are 52 sanctioned posts– 32 teaching staff and 20 non-teaching staff – for one fully functional EMRS, operational from Class 6 to 12 with 480 students.

Replying to opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s question whether there are large number of vacancies in the Eklavya Model Residential Schools, the minister of tribal affairs, Renuka Singh Saruta, informed that there are a total of 2,892 (41% vacant) posts vacant.

The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has asked the states to engage teachers on deputation, hire contractual, retired and guest teachers as per the local requirements.

The NESTS is an autonomous organization under the ministry of tribal affairs that implements the scheme of Eklavya Model Residential Schools. The EMRS scheme was introduced to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students in remote areas to enable them to access the opportunities in education and to bring them at par with the general population.

As on date, 688 schools have been sanctioned by the ministry, out of which 394 are reported to be functional with 1,05,463 students as some of the schools run only a few classes, the ministry said. This translates to 42.8% non-functional schools. Non-functional school means that the building has been constructed but academic activity is yet to resume.

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In another reply, the ministry informed that there are 41 EMRS in Gujarat out of which 6 schools which were set up in the year 2021-22 are non-functional.

As per provisions, 5% seat in each of the EMRSs is reserved for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) students only. There are 75 groups of most vulnerable sections amongst the tribals who are classified as PVTGs and spread over 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.