Schemes to Promote literacy among tribals

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has number of schemes to promote literacy among tribals so that they can be brought into mainstream. Besides, opening up residential schools in the low literacy pockets for tribal girls, the Ministry also provides assistance for taking up higher studies and vocational courses at premier institutes.

 

 Residential hostels for tribal girls Recognize the need for promoting women literacy, especially tribal girls. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has initiated hundred per cent assistance scheme to promote women's literacy in low literacy pockets not being covered by any of the schemes of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The scheme is implemented through NGOs.

 

 The assistance is also provided to the State Government for construction of hostels for girls in tribal areas and residential schools for boys, which are called Ashram Schools. The pattern of the assistance under the scheme is 50:50 from the Centre and State. Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for ST students The objective of the scheme is to provide fellowships in the form of financial assistance to students belonging to Scheduled Tribes to pursue higher studies, such as M. Phil and Ph.D. 

 

The scheme covers all Universities/Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act. The scheme is implemented through the UGC. The number of scholars being assisted as on now is 776 (10 th Plan). Assistance for higher studies at Top class institute The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has introduced a new scholarship scheme of Top Class Education for ST students with the objective to encourage meritorious ST students for pursuing studies at degree and post degree levels in any of the identified institutes. 

 

There are 127 institutes approved under the scheme in both the Government and private sectors covering the fields of management, medicine, engineering, law and commercial courses. Each institute has been allocated five awards, with a ceiling of total 635 scholarships per year. The family income of the ST students from all the sources shall not exceed Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum. 

 

National Overseas Scholarships for Scheduled Tribes The scheme provides financial assistance to meritorious ST students for pursuing higher studies abroad in Master level courses, Ph.D and post-Doctoral research programmes, in the field of Engineering, Technology and Science. The selected candidates are provided the cost of actual fee as charged by the foreign university/institution, maintenance and other grants along. In addition, passage grants are also available to those who are in receipt of merit scholarship for postgraduate studies, research or training abroad (excluding attending seminar, workshops, conferences) from a foreign government/organization or under any other scheme where cost of passage is not provided.