Maharashtra: 17 tribal students come closer to IIT dream after being coached under govt programme

NAGPUR : At least 17 tribal students from remote villages of Maharashtra's Gondia and Gadchiroli district have reached a step closer to studying at an Indian Institute Technology (IIT) by clearing the JEE Mains after they were coached under a state-run programme, an official said on Tuesday. These students have qualified to appear for JEE Advance after they underwent the tribal development department's four-month residential coaching programme at Borgaon Bazar in the district, he said.

Around 17 tribal students from Gadchiroli and Gondia studying in Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) who had appeared for the Class 12 examination were given coaching for JEE this year by a team formed by the state government's tribal development department, the official said. Talking to PTI, additional commissioner tribal development department Ravindra Thakre said he started the 'Mission Shikhar' programme after going through all the ashram schools that came under the department. Thakre had also started special training and workshops for teachers of ashram schools. Tribal students are very good in studies, but they don't get the right platform and 'Mission Shikhar' started in 2021 is that platform, he said.

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"We roped in local teachers on a contractual basis, who did a phenomenal job in coaching these students. At least 17 out of 25 students have qualified for JEE Advance without any professional coaching from private coaching centres," Thakre said. Vikas Rachelwar, the project officer of the integrated tribal development department, told PTI that earlier not many students from tribal regions would appear for medical and engineering entrance examinations. The chosen 25 students were given coaching for four months from October 2022 to January this year and the study plan was prepared by the principal of EMRS, he said.

Principal Sanjay Bontawar, three highly qualified contractual teachers and in-house teachers with a good teaching background were with the students throughout the programme, the official said. The classrooms were equipped with smart interactive TV panel and students were taught also with audio visual medium as well, helping in clearing their concepts along remedial and supervised study, he said. He further said that the tribal department is planning an entrance exam for ashram schools and will select 200 promising students for JEE coaching in the current academic year. The department has formed committees of lecturers for physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics who will prepare practice papers for daily tests and study notes, the official said.