HEALTH, SANITATION AND GENDER-SPECIFIC FACILITIES IN EMRS HOSTELS

HEALTH, SANITATION AND GENDER-SPECIFIC FACILITIES IN EMRS HOSTELS

The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey today answering an un-starred question of Smt. Mahua Maji informed Rajya Sabha that the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous body managing the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in coordination with State EMRS Societies, has issued comprehensive guidelines to ensure the health, hygiene, and overall well-being of students. Under the Recurring Grant-in-Aid (General), NESTS has allocated ₹1,09,000 per student per annum up to FY 2024–25, enhanced to ₹1,47,062 from FY 2025–26, covering operational and maintenance costs, including medical expenses, CBSE fees, stationery, school bags, and sanitary napkins. Specific guidelines have also been framed for the engagement of cooks and mess helpers to provide nutritious food in a healthy environment. EMRS infrastructure includes separate hostels for boys and girls with dedicated living and dining areas, adequate toilets, bathing units, safe potable water, drainage, and waste disposal facilities in line with construction norms. Further, each EMRS has one counsellor and one female staff nurse to address students’ psychological and physical health needs.

EMRSs across the country are equipped with separate toilets for boys and girls. All girl students are provided with sanitary napkins, and in several states, sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators have also been installed in girls’ hostels and toilets to promote hygiene and convenience.

The operations of EMRS are managed by the respective State Societies, which conduct inspections to assess the adequacy of infrastructure and the quality of teaching and hostel facilities in the EMRSs.

State Societies report cases of student dropouts to enable the State Governments to take corrective measures and keep dropout rates minimal. However, no instance of dropout or absenteeism attributable to inadequate hostel facilities has been reported to NESTS by the State Society.

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