Edu Ministry to rename 1,063 residential schools, hostels after Netaji

The Ministry of Education has decided to name the residential schools and hostels funded under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme as "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools", said the Education Ministry sources on Friday.

"A total of 1,063 residential facilities (383 residential schools and 680 hostels) have been sanctioned to States and UTs so far. It has been decided to rename the residential schools and hostels funded under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme as "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools," sources said.

"In addition to the regular school curriculum, interventions for all-round development of children such as the provision of Specific Skill Training, physical self-defense, medical care, community participation, monthly stipend are also made available to children. These residential schools and hostels follow the same norms as followed by Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) and aspire to achieve the standards set by the KGBVs," they added.

A senior official of the Education Ministry said that the association of these schools with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will act as an inspiration to the children and will also motivate the teachers, staff, and administration to enable them to achieve high standards of excellence.

In order to ensure universal enrolment and schooling facilities in areas that are sparsely populated with a low density of population (mostly tribal areas) where the opening of schools may not be viable and for children in urban areas who are in need of care and protection, the Ministry of Education under Samagra Shiksha provides financial assistance to States and UTs for opening and running of residential schools and hostels in hilly terrain, small and sparsely populated areas for children without adult protection who are in need of shelter and care, in addition to the provision of regular schools.

The residential facilities are also provided to child labour rescued, migrant children who belong to poor landless families, children without adult protection, separated from their families, internally displaced persons, and children from the areas of social and armed conflict and natural calamities.

In this regard, preference is given to Educationally Backward Blocks (EBB), Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, Special Focus Districts (SFD), and the Aspirational districts identified by NITI Ayog.

Earlier, the Central government had decided to celebrate January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as 'Parakram Diwas'.