Focus: GS II- Welfare schemes
Why in News?
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment will launch Scheme for Residential Education For Students in High schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESTHA)
About SHRESHTA
The government has approved a new scheme named SHRESHTA (Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas) for the purpose of providing seats for the meritorious SC boys and girls in the best private residential schools in the country.
National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA
- Under this, each year a specified number of meritorious SC students (Approx 3000) in States / UTs are selected through a transparent mechanism of a National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) , conducted by the National Testing Agency ( NTA ) .
- Selected students are admitted in the Best Private Residential Schools, affiliated by CBSE, in classes 9th and 11th for completion of education till 12th standard.
- Thereafter, the students may be connected to Post Metric Scholarship Scheme or Top – Class Education Scheme of the
- Ministry to continue their further studies with adequate financial aid from the Government of India.
Selection of Schools:
- For selection of Schools , the Ministry through a committee with the representative of Ministry of Education and CBSE and Finance Division of the Department , has selected the best performing private residential schools affiliated with the CBSE , based on certain parameters such as
- Schools is in existence for at least for last 5 years
- Boards results of the schools were more than 75 % in Class 10 and 12 for the last 3 years
- the Schools have adequate infrastructure for admitting additional at SC students in classes 9th and 11th .
Quality of Education:
- For ensuring the quality of students in the scheme , the Department has decided to seek the students based on All India Entrance Examination from the National Testing Agency ( NTA ) , which conducts all major exams including JEE / NEET and selection of employee for the Government through SSC and others .
- The Ministry intends to provide level playing field to the poor and meritorious SC students, by providing facilities for providing High Quality Education in the CBSE based Private Schools having Residential Facility ( Hostel ) from class 9th to 12th .
- Entire cost of school fee and hostel fee including food charges shall be borne by the Government of India. The Students under the Scheme may select any school across the country for their academics.
Objectives of the Scheme:
- To enhance the reach of the development initiative of the government.
- To fill the gap in service-deprived Scheduled Castes (SCs) dominant areas in the sector of education by collaborating with voluntary organizations.
- To provide an environment for socio-economic upliftment and overall development of the Scheduled Castes (SCs).
- To provide access to high-quality education to bright Scheduled Caste (SC) students so that they can explore future opportunities.
