The central government will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in the next three years, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said on Wednesday.

The EMRS scheme for making model residential schools for tribal students across India started in 1997-98.

Under the Narendra Modi government, the number of such schools functioning in the country has increased from 119 in 2013-14 to 401 in 2023-24, Munda said at a press conference, listing his ministry's achievements in the last nine years.

The number of students enrolled in these schools has increased from 34365 in 2023-14 to 1,13,275 in 2023-24.

As part of a new scheme formulated in 2019, the government decided to establish Eklavya Model Residential Schools in every block with 50 percent or more ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons as per the 2011 census.

"The ministry is focusing on setting up of EMRSs in 740 identified blocks across the country by the year 2025-26. In the next three years, 38,800 teachers and support staff will be recruited to impart quality education to around 3.5 lakh tribal students in these schools," Munda said.

A total of 693 schools have been sanctioned so far, the minister said. Smart classes are being set up by the Ministry of Electronics and IT in 175 such schools, Munda added.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.