SHRESTHA education programme: Know benefits, eligibility, and other criteria

To ensure quality education to school students of in India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched its new programme,‘Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas’ (SHRESHTA). 

Under this scheme, students of Scheduled Castes (SC) will be provided with high quality school education by different method. It will also help the government to expand the reach of its development initiatives in SC-dominant areas within the education sector.

The scheme will be operated in selected grant-in-aid institutions run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and residential high schools offering high-quality education.

Schooling under CBSE/State Board Affiliated Private Residential Schools

Under this mode, meritorious students will get admission in selected private schools of CBSE and State Boards. These students will be selected through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Selected students will be admitted to private residential schools in the 9th and 11th grades, enabling them to complete their education up to the 12th standard.

Eligibility 

Under this scheme, around 3000 SC students with parents' annual income up to 2.5 lakh are selected annually based on their merit.

Benefits of the scheme

-For the students taking admission under this scheme, their entire fee including school fees (tuition fees) and hostel fees (mess charges) will be waived off.  Admissible fees for each class are specified as follows- 9th: ₹1,00,000, 10th: ₹1,10,000, 11th: ₹1,25,000, 12th: ₹1,35,000, said the press release.

-Students can also take the benefit of a bridge course within the selected schools, targeting the individual academic requirements of students and aiding their adjustment to the school environment. The cost of bridge course, equivalent to 10% of the annual fee, is also covered under the scheme. The progress of these students under the scheme will be constantly monitored by the Ministry of Education.

Admission in NGO operated schools

Under this mode of education , schools and hostels run by voluntary organizations (VOs) and NGOs, will offer education up to class 12, read the release.

Schools and hostels receiving grant-in-aid and demonstrating satisfactory performance will continue to benefit under this mode.