MP Sri Bishi Raises Concern Over Limited Access to EMRS in Tribal Areas, Seeks Expansion at Block Level.
Demands at least one EMRS in every tribal-dominated block; questions adequacy in remote regions-MP Sri Bishi.
New Delhi | March 04.04.2026 Rajya Sabha MP Shri Niranjan Bishi raised serious concerns regarding equitable access to Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in tribal-dominated areas.
Raising a Starred Question to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Shri Bishi questioned whether the existing number of EMRS is sufficient to cater to the educational needs of Scheduled Tribe (ST) students, particularly in remote and interior regions. He highlighted that several tribal-dominated districts are served by only one EMRS, limiting access to quality CBSE-pattern education.
Shri Bishi further urged the Government to consider establishing at least one EMRS in every tribal dominated block with more than 20 per cent STs population and sought a clear timeline for expansion in underserved regions.
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram, in his written reply has stated that the Government had announced a major expansion of the EMRS scheme in the Union Budget 2018–19 to provide quality education to STs students from Classes VI to XII in their socio cultural environment.
He informed that the scheme envisages one EMRS in each block having more than 50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, as per Census 2011. Accordingly, 728 EMRSs have been approved nationwide, including 288 existing schools.
As of now, 723 EMRSs have been sanctioned, 499 are functional, and 458 are affiliated with CBSE. The Minister added that the adequacy of EMRS infrastructure is reviewed periodically and expansion is guided by the prescribed block level criteria.
MP Shri Bishi emphasized that despite progress, many tribal regions remain underserved and called for a more inclusive and need based expansion policy to ensure equitable educational opportunities for tribal students.
