Tripura Gets Boost in Tribal Education with Nine New Hostels Under PM Janaman Scheme

Agartala: Tripura took a significant step toward strengthening tribal education infrastructure as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan virtually laid the foundation stone for nine new tribal hostels on July 29 under the PM Janaman and Dharti Aba Janabhagidari Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan schemes.
The hostels, aimed at promoting educational access for tribal boys and girls, will be constructed in multiple locations across the state, including Bagafa and Jolaibari blocks in South Tripura, Mohanpur block in West Tripura, and Karbook subdivision in Gomati District. Each hostel will accommodate 50 students and cost approximately Rs 2.30 crore.
A special facility at Radhanagar High School in East Tamakari ADC Village under Hejamara block will be built at a higher cost of Rs 2.80 crore.
The foundation-laying ceremony was held centrally at Kuaifang Community Hall in South Tripura, where Tripura Cooperation Minister Shuklacharan Noatia attended as the chief guest. Emphasizing the importance of education for tribal empowerment, Noatia said, “No society can progress without education. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, we are not only ensuring access to schools but also creating safe and inclusive hostel facilities for our tribal children.”
The new hostels will come up at the following locations:
• Bagafa Block: Gobindabari High School (boys) and Naraifang High School (girls)
• Jolaibari Block: Two hostels at Binoy Prasad Para High School
• Karbook Subdivision: Boys’ and girls’ hostels at PM Shri Prahlad Sardarpara High School
• Mohanpur Block: Special hostel at Radhanagar High School
As part of the broader PM Janaman initiative, Tripura is slated to receive 27 such hostels in the coming phases. Additionally, the number of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in the state has risen to 21, reinforcing the government’s focus on inclusive education and tribal upliftment.
The PM Janaman scheme, launched by the Government of India, focuses on the development of tribal areas through improved infrastructure, healthcare, and education. Alongside this, the Dharti Aba Janabhagidari Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, a grassroots-level participatory initiative, promotes village-level development with a focus on marginalized communities.
Tripura, which has a significant tribal population comprising nearly one-third of its residents, has witnessed growing demands for enhanced educational infrastructure in remote and hilly regions. The government’s recent moves reflect an effort to address these longstanding gaps by offering residential support for tribal students, many of whom drop out due to distance from schools, poor transport, or lack of safe accommodation.
The combination of new hostel projects and the expansion of EMRS is expected to dramatically improve retention and learning outcomes among tribal students in Tripura, providing them a more secure and nurturing environment to pursue their education.