28K Smart Classrooms Boost Tribal Education in Gujarat

Gandhinagar : To further enhance educational access, the Gyankunj Project-Smart Interactive Board Scheme has introduced 28,012 smart classrooms in 7,408 government primary schools across Gujarat’s tribal areas, providing a modern and interactive learning environment for students.

With the noble aim of making primary education accessible to children across all communities, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, launched the Shala Praveshotsav program in 2003. Today, this initiative ensures that even children from the remotest tribal areas of Gujarat attend primary schools. The 21st Shala Praveshotsav was held from June 26 to 28, 2024, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who inaugurated the event from the tribal district of Dang. Over the three-day event, many children from tribal areas got enrolled in kindergarten and class 1, marking their first steps into the world of education.

Tribal Development Minister Shri Kuber Dindor emphasised the expanding educational access in tribal areas, stating, “Numerous educational initiatives, spanning from primary to higher education, are benefiting tribal students in Gujarat. The Gyankunj Project has established over 28,000 smart classrooms in government schools within tribal areas. Additionally, more than 12 lakh students have received pre-matric scholarships, and approximately 2.5 lakh students have benefited from post-matric scholarships. Thanks to the state government’s dedicated efforts, education levels among the tribal communities have risen, with tribal children and youth now actively contributing to nation-building through their education.”

To enhance educational access in Gujarat’s tribal areas, the state has established 8,035 primary schools, 1,064 secondary schools, and 509 higher educational institutions. Additionally, 661 Ashram Shalas, 75 Model Residential Schools, and 71 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are operational. The region also hosts 45 colleges, including 11 Science, 11 Commerce, and 23 Arts colleges, along with 175 government hostels and 920 grant-in-aid hostels. The Uniform Assistance Scheme supports tribal students in classes 1 to 8 with a financial aid of ₹900 for school uniforms, benefiting approximately 13 lakh students annually. Additionally, Vidya Sadhna Yojana promotes girls’ education by providing bicycles, with over 35,000 girls receiving bicycles each year.

The Gujarat State Tribal Education Society (GSTES), an autonomous society under the Tribal Development Department of the Government of Gujarat, is dedicated to establishing and managing high-quality schools for talented tribal students. The society focuses on delivering excellent educational and higher education opportunities to eligible tribal children. Currently, GSTES operates four types of schools: 44 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), 43 Girls Literacy Residential Schools (GLRS), 12 Model Schools, and 2 Sainik Schools. In total, GSTES manages 101 schools, providing quality education to approximately 35,000 tribal students.

To enhance medical education for tribal students, medical colleges in Valsad and Dahod districts offer 200 seats each. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated new government medical colleges in five Gujarat districts, including the tribal areas of Navsari, Narmada, and Panchmahal, with each college providing 100 seats.

Shri Govind Guru University in Panchmahal and Birsa Munda Tribal University in Narmada further support higher education opportunities. To support tribal students pursuing higher education in urban centers, 20 modern Samras hostels have been established in Ahmedabad, Anand, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Rajkot, Vadodara, Himmatnagar, Jamnagar, Patan, and Surat, with 30% of seats reserved for tribal students.

The state government also offers pre-matric and post-matric scholarships. In 2023-24, ₹136.93 crore was allocated for pre-matric scholarships benefiting 12,84,404 tribal students, while ₹718.44 crore supported 2,49,518 students through post-matric scholarships. Besides, the state government provides loan facilities to tribal students pursuing higher education abroad. In 2023-24, ₹641.50 lakh was disbursed as loans to 48 tribal students for their studies.