The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided a status update on the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) scheme, which aims to provide quality education to tribal students while preserving local art and culture. The scheme establishes schools in tribal-dominated blocks with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons as per Census 2011.
As of the current date, 728 EMRSs have been approved nationwide, with 508 schools currently functional across the country. These schools enrolled 156,593 students during the Academic Session 2025-26. In Telangana specifically, all 23 sanctioned EMRSs are functional with 10,199 students enrolled during the same academic session.
The ministry has implemented various measures to enhance education quality and sports facilities, including well-equipped classrooms with modern teaching aids, bridge courses, remedial classes, science and computer laboratories, libraries with diverse learning resources, playgrounds and sports equipment, and facilities for extracurricular activities like music, art, and sports. The schools also feature smart classrooms for digital education, computer labs with internet access, and skill development and vocational training programs in apparel, automotive, AR/VR, AI, beauty & wellness, agriculture, electronics, and retail to enhance employability.
Tribal culture preservation is integral to the EMRS scheme, with Tribal Corners established to showcase and preserve tribal culture, traditions, art, crafts, and heritage. Cultural programs, meets, and workshops are organized to celebrate diverse tribal cultures, and regional language teachers are recruited to enable students to learn and preserve their regional languages.
The annexure provides detailed district-wise status of EMRSs in Telangana, showing all 23 schools are functional with varying enrollment numbers. The total enrollment across Telangana EMRSs stands at 4,950 boys and 5,249 girls, totaling 10,199 students for the 2025-26 academic year. All schools except one in Mahabubabad district (Gudur block) show completed construction status, with the Gudur school still showing construction 'In Progress' but already functional.