Policy Update
Tuba Athar
Background
The Scheme of Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) (Earlier known as Scheme of Grant-in-aid to Voluntary and other Organizations working for Scheduled Castes (SC), 2018) was implemented by Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) in 2022 for academic year 2022-23. The prime aim of the earlier scheme was the same as SHRESHTA, except to provide high-quality education to meritorious SC students. So, the new scheme has broadened its scope for the welfare of SC students.
The objectives of SHRESHTA are:-
- To enhance the reach of the government development initiative.
- To fill the gap in service-deprived Scheduled Castes (SCs) dominant areas in the education sector by collaborating with voluntary organizations.
- To provide an environment for socio-economic upliftment and overall Scheduled Castes (SCs) development.
- To provide access to high-quality education to bright Scheduled Caste (SC) students so that they can explore future opportunities
Eligibility
- The students, belonging to Scheduled Castes, studying in classes 8th and 10th, are eligible to avail of the scheme’s benefits.
- Students from the SC community who come from a marginalized income group with an annual income of up to Rs 2.5 lakh are eligible.
- The selection is done through a transparent mechanism known as the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission in classes 9th and 11th.
Beneficiaries
- The Government has targeted that every year around 3000 students belonging to the SC category will be admitted to Class 9 and Class 11 under this system.
- The Ministry will cover the whole cost of their school and accommodation fees until they have completed their academics in class 12th.
Functioning (Modalities of the Operation)
The scheme is implemented in two Modes:
Mode 1: SHRESHTA schools (Best CBSE private Residential Schools)
Under this, each year a specified number of meritorious SC students in States/UTs are selected through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) and admitted in the best private residential schools identified based on the database of the CBSE, the residential schools recommended under SHRESHTA by District Authorities in 2021-22 and other eligible private residential schools affiliated to any other Board, including State Boards, recommended by District Authorities for participation in the scheme.
Number of seats
Source – Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 2024
Scholarships for students
Source – Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 2024
Mode 2: NGOs/VOs operated schools
Schools/Hostels run by Voluntary Organisations /Non-Governmental Organisations having higher classes (up to at least class 12) and who have been receiving Grant-in-aid will be continued, subject to satisfactory performance. The NGO-run primary schools (classes 1 to 8) would be given time to upgrade to secondary/senior. Secondary Schools (up to at least class 10) before 2027, failing which they may not be supported under the scheme.
The upgradation of school(s) from primary level to secondary level (classes 9 & 10) may be done by adding one class every year. It is also proposed that PMU will be provided a checklist to assess the suitability of the school for such upgradation, viz., adequate infrastructure, approval of the State Government/ Board for upgrading, pass percentage, number and quality of teachers and staff, etc. No new school shall be built under this model.
Performance
As the above data shows, there has been an increase in the expenditure by the ministry incurred for this scheme and its earlier one. There had been a dip in spending in 2021-22 and 2022-23, probably because of COVID, since this scheme is a residential scheme. If the amount released (Rs. In Lakh) is disaggregated by states, then it is found that in 2023-24, the top five performers were Uttar Pradesh (1674.65), Rajasthan (1286.45), Maharashtra (878.5), Andhra Pradesh (667.24), and Odisha (485.06).
Impact
Table 1: Number of beneficiaries from 2020-21 to 2022-23
| S. No. | Year | Beneficiaries (total) |
| 1 | 2020-21 | 38250 |
| 2 | 2021-22 | 20435 |
| 3 | 2022-23 | 16479 |
Source- Press Information Bureau, 2023
Table 2: Number of beneficiaries under both modes in 2023-24 and 2024-25
| Financial year 2023-24 | Financial year 2025-26 | |
| Students selected and admitted to private residential schools | 2700 | 2900 |
| Mode-1, fee reimbursed to private schools for providing school and hostel facilities | 4168 | 5269 |
| Number of beneficiaries benefited under the scheme in mode-2 | 11681 | NA* |
| Grand total | 15816 | NA* |
*Data not given
Source- Annual Report of the MoSJE of 2023-24, 2024-25
It can be analysed from the above data that the number of beneficiaries is not constant and keeps decreasing yearly. However, the reason for this is not apparent, but the scheme covers more than 15,000 students every year. However, according to the annual report by MoSJE 2023-24, the states having the maximum number of beneficiaries were Uttar Pradesh (3662), Maharashtra (2982), Rajasthan (2399), Odisha (1222), and Karnataka (1160), combining beneficiaries under both modes. The report shows that more beneficiaries are under mode-2, schools run by VOs/NGOs, than mode-1. And in 2024-25 under mode-1, the highest number of beneficiaries were in the states of Uttar Pradesh (1373), Rajasthan (1260), Andhra Pradesh (682), Haryana (667), and Chhattisgarh (319).
Emerging Issues
Some issues could be highlighted while analysing the mandate and guidelines of the scheme.
Strict eligibility criteria for students: Since only students studying in recognised institutes are eligible, the other students in other/non-recognised institutional settings are excluded. Moreover, the criteria of admission based on merit obtained in the test further puts them at the backwater. Additionally, procuring a caste and income certificate won’t be easy for everybody.
Low coverage: According to the projected population figure by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), 2020 the total SC population in age group 14-15 and 16-17 is 8.2 million each, given SC’s literacy rate of only 66 % (Census, 2011) the annual coverage of only 3000 students is significantly less. Though the scheme covers more than the targeted number, the number of beneficiaries is declining yearly.
Guidelines skewed against VOs/NGOs (Mode 2) operated schools: For the selection of non-private schools, very high standards are difficult to observe in our setting. For example, the demands for infrastructure seem quite unrealistic. Moreover, in each quarter of the academic session, there would be a physical inspection of these schools, all other interests and earnings from the grants and unused funds would be returned to the Consolidated Fund of India, and there would be proper oversight on expenditure and accounts for them. They would be penalised if they deviate from the guidelines. These provisions suit transparency, but private (Mode 1) schools are completely omitted from complying with these mandates.
Neglecting the intersectionality of SCs: SC as a category is not monolithic. Girls, children from single parents, and those from rural areas, etc., are far more deprived than their counterparts.
However, there could be some solutions to make the scheme more inclusive. There could be reservations based on some of the criteria mentioned above, and it should include more students under its umbrella. Inspecting privately run CBSE schools is also necessary, as they can also misuse the provided funds. In addition, VOs/NGOs run school eligibility criteria should be relaxed because it is probable that many of these schools would be in SC dominated areas and not the former ones, so that the scheme’s benefit could be spatially and socially equalised.
Way Forward
The SHRESHTA scheme is comprehensive, covering tuition and hostel fees directly transferred to the participating schools. This financial support is instrumental in alleviating the economic burden on students’ families, fostering an inclusive educational landscape. By providing SC students with access to quality education, the scheme aims to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel academically and professionally.
References & Important Links
- https://education.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/government-policies/government-introduces-shreshta-scheme-for-residential-education-for-sc-students/104300396 retrieved on May 25, 2025
- https://bestcolleges.indiatoday.in/news-detail/delhi-govt-seeks-applications-for-scheme-to-enrol-sc-students-in-top-private-schools-3300 retrieved on May 25, 2025
- Ministry of Human Resource Development. (2022). https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/statistics-new/Population_2223_0.pdf
- Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. (2016). Literacy and Education https://mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/reports_and_publication/statistical_publication/social_statistics/WM16Chapter3.pdf
- Press Information Bureau. (2023, October 09). SCHEME FOR RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN TARGETED AREAS (SHRESHTA). https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/oct/doc2023109258901.pdf
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. (2024). Revised Scheme For Residential Education For Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESTA) (FROM 2023-24 TO 2025-26) https://socialjustice.gov.in/public/ckeditor/upload/24291692705460.pdf
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. (2024). Scheme of Grant-in-aid to Voluntary and other Organizations working for Scheduled Castes- 2018. https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/SCW-VO_Revised_guidelines-2018.pdf
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. (2025). Annual Report 2024-25. https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/86481744793621.pdf
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. (2024). Empowering Individuals, Enriching Society. https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/32691723633555.pdf
- https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-castes-1 retrieved on May 25, 2025
About the contributor: Tuba Athar is a research intern at IMPRI. She is pursuing a PhD from the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Acknowledgement: The author sincerely thanks Aasthaba Jadeja and IMPRI fellows for their valuable contribution.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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