Low literacy rates among Tribals

In order to bridge gap in literacy rate of Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing following schemes for improving education level and literacy rate amongst tribals: –

Scheme of Girls & Boys Hostels for STs: Under the scheme, Central assistance is given to States / UTs / Universities for construction of new hostel buildings and / or extension of existing hostels. State Governments are eligible for 100% central share for construction of all Girls’ hostel and also for construction of Boys’ hostel in naxal affected areas. The funding pattern for other Boys’ Hostel to State Governments is on 50:50 basis.

Scheme of Ashram Schools in Tribal Areas: The objective of the scheme is to provide residential schools for STs to increase the literacy rate among the tribal students and to bring them at par with other population of the country. Under the scheme, State Governments are eligible for 100% central share for construction of all Girls’ Ashram Schools and also for construction of Boys’ Ashram Schools in naxal affected areas. The funding pattern for the other Boys’ Ashram Schools is on 50:50 basis.

Scheme for Strengthening Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts:The scheme aims to bridge the gap in literacy levels between the general female population and tribal women, through facilitating 100% enrolment of tribal girls in the identified Districts or Blocks, more particularly in naxal affected areas and in areas inhabited by Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs), and reducing drop-outs at the elementary level by creating the required ambience for education. Improvement of the literacy rate of tribal girls is essential to enable them to participate effectively in and benefit from, socio-economic development.

In addition to above, to maximize retention of ST students within various stages of school education and promoting higher learning, monetary incentives are provided by Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the form of scholarships such as Pre Matric Scholarship, Post Matric Scholarship, National Overseas Scholarship, Scholarship for Top Class Education and Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for ST students.

As informed by Ministry of Human Resource Development, following initiatives have been taken:-

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), districts with high concentration of population of Scheduled Tribes (STs) have been identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs). The criteria for identifying the SFDs is of 25% and above population of STs.

The percentage of enrolment of children from ST community, as per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2014-15, is 10.47% of the total enrolment in elementary education, which is more than the share of tribal population at 8.6% as per census 2011.

For the year 2016-17, an amount of Rs. 998433.32 lakh has been allocated for ST concentrated SFDs under SSA, which is 13% of the total allocation of SSA. Besides, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have played an important role in furthering the goal of girls’ education in educationally backward blocks of the country. A total of 508 KGBVs, which are upper primary residential schools for girls, have been sanctioned in the ST concentrated SFDs, out of which 507 are operational. In ST concentrated SFDs, 147 residential schools and 190 hostels have been sanctioned.

SSA also supports provisions for textbooks to all children in Government/local body and Government aided schools andtwo sets of uniform to all girls, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) children and Below Poverty Line (BPL) children, wherever State Governments have incorporated provision of school uniforms as a child entitlement in their State RTE Rules.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 under Section 29 states that wherever practicable children should be taught in their mother tongue. In the last few years several States have taken initiatives to bridge children from tribal groups speaking a different language at home to transition to school language.

Teacher training under the SSA has sessions on sensitizing teachers to actively dispel traditional perceptions regarding gender or caste roles, take measures which would help girls, children from disadvantaged groups and weaker sections pursue education which is equitable and free of anxiety. Further, revision of syllabi, textbooks and supplementary learning material are done to incorporate gender and social inclusion dimensions.

In order to improve literacy rate, Saakshar Bharat, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Adult Education and Skill Development is being implemented in rural areas of 410 districts in 26 States and one UT that had adult female literacy rate of 50 per cent and below as per Census 2001, and including left wing extremism affected districts, irrespective of their literacy rates, with special focus on women, SCs, STs, minorities and other disadvantaged groups. The principal target of the programme is to impart functional literacy to 70 million adults (60 million female) including 8 million STs (6 million female) in the age group of 15 years and beyond. Plan-wise targets are fixed to achieve higher levels of literacy in a phased manner. The present targets are to raise the overall literacy rate of the country to 80 per cent and reduce the gender gap to 10 percentage points by the end of XII Five Year Plan (i.e. 31.07.2017).

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Jaswantsinh Bhabhor in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.