The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in India recently launched a significant new initiative for the development and enhancement of the Scheduled Castes (SC) community: the SHRESHTA Scheme. This article delves into the details of this scheme, along with exploring other related programs dedicated to the socio-economic upliftment of the SC community.
About SHRESHTA Scheme
‘SHRESHTA’ stands for Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High School in Targeted Areas. It is essentially designed with the objective of providing quality education to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes. The scheme aims to offer these students opportunities to study in some of the best private residential schools in the country, starting from classes 9 and 11 of CBSE affiliated private schools.
Objectives of the Scheme
‘SHRESHTA’ is guided by several key objectives. Firstly, it aims to streamline the delivery of Governmental initiatives and schemes. Secondly, it strives to create a conducive environment that facilitates the socioeconomic advancement and overall growth of the Scheduled Castes. In addition, the scheme envisages collaboration with volunteer groups to bridge the educational gap in SC-dominated regions. Lastly, the scheme is aimed at enabling bright SC students with high-quality education so they can capitalize on future opportunities.
Eligibility for SHRESHTA
To be eligible for the benefits of the ‘SHRESHTA’ scheme, students must belong to the Scheduled Castes and be studying in class 8th or 10th in the current academic year (2021-22). Furthermore, the scheme targets students from the SC community who hail from economically marginalized backgrounds, meaning those with an annual income of up to Rs.2.5 lakhs. Selection will be conducted through a transparent mechanism known as the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), which will be carried out by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission in class 9th and 11th.
Beneficiaries of the Scheme
Under the SHRESHTA scheme, the Indian Government aims to admit around 3000 SC students into Class 9 and Class 11 each year. The Ministry has committed to covering all school and accommodation fees for the admitted students until they complete their academics in Class 12.
Other Related Initiatives for SCs
In addition to the SHRESHTA scheme, the SC community can take advantage of several other initiatives. These include the Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY), a central assistance program for the construction and expansion of hostel facilities for SC students. There’s also the Post Matric scholarship schemes for SC, launched in 2006 with the aim of increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education for SCs. Moreover, the Single National Scholarship Scheme provides scholarships for students in the Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class (OBC), Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribe (DNT), and Economically Backward Caste (EBC) categories through a merit test conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.