Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday said the state government is considering setting up Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in all 58 blocks of the state as part of efforts to expand access to quality education for tribal students.
Addressing a programme in Agartala, Saha said the government’s focus is on improving educational opportunities for Scheduled Tribe children, particularly those living in rural and remote areas.
The EMRS scheme, funded by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is aimed at providing residential schooling to tribal students and enabling them to pursue higher education.
The chief minister said Tripura had only four EMRSs before the BJP came to power in the state in 2018. Since then, the Centre has sanctioned 21 such schools for Tripura.
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Of these, 12 are currently operational, while two more are expected to become functional by March 2026.
Saha said the state government’s long-term goal is to establish EMRSs in all 58 blocks to ensure wider coverage and equal access to quality education for tribal students across Tripura.
He also said he had recently urged the Centre to relax existing guidelines for setting up EMRSs in the state.
Under current norms, a block must have at least 50 per cent tribal population and a minimum of 20,000 tribal residents to qualify for an EMRS.
“I have strongly requested relaxation of these criteria so that more EMRSs can be established in Tripura. I hope the Centre will take a positive decision,” the chief minister said.
