Virendra Kumar, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, has inaugurated the SRESHTA (Scheme for Residential Education for Kids in High Schools in Targeted Areas), which seeks to give excellent education and opportunity to the poorest SC students, as provided in the Constitution.
177 private schools have been designated as part of the initiative, with 1,300 spaces in grade nine and 1,700 seats in grade 11 earmarked for these kids. SC students from all states and union territories (UTs) are chosen through a transparent mechanism called the National Entrance Test for SRESHTA (NETS), which is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
To be eligible for the initiative, the students' parents' annual income must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh, and the scholarship would cover school fees (including tuition fees) and hostel fees (including mess charges).
The scholarship amount is Rs one lakh per year for grade nine, Rs 1.10 lakh for grade ten, Rs 1.25 lakh for grade eleven, and Rs 1.35 lakh for grade twelve.
In his remarks to the kids, Kumar stated that the government hopes to empower students from the SC group through the initiative. "We want to provide them with the same opportunities that any other student at a reputable school would have." The National Testing Agency would conduct a nationwide computer-based test, and students would be admitted to schools based on their performance on the test. "Through a web-based counseling system, chosen pupils would be given school options," he stated.
What is the scheme ‘SRESHTA’?
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Its primary goal is to improve the socio-economic situation of Scheduled Castes people by offering high-quality education to their children in the country's top private residential schools.
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Admission will be available in CBSE-affiliated private schools in classes 9 and 11.
Objectives of SRESHTA Scheme:
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To make the delivery of government projects and schemes as simple as possible.
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To establish an environment that promotes the socio-economic progress and general growth of the "Scheduled Castes."
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Collaborating with volunteer organizations to close the service gap in the education sector, which is dominated by Scheduled Castes (SCs).
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To provide high-quality education to brilliant Scheduled Caste (SC) students so that they can seek future chances.
