SHRESHTHA SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Schemes)

Context: Recently, the Government announced its successful facilitation of the admission of over 2500 Scheduled Castes (SCs) students in private schools under the SHRESHTA scheme.

SHRESTHA Scheme

• Objective: Its primary objective is to enhance the socio-economic standing of Scheduled Castes individuals by offering top-tier education to their children in the finest private residential schools across the nation.
• Ministry: Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment
• Type: Central Sector Scheme
• Eligibility: Students must belong to the marginalized income groups within the SC community.

oParental annual income must be less than Rs.2.5 Lakh annually.

• Mechanism: This mechanism is referred to as the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS).

oThe National Testing Agency (NTA) will be responsible for conducting NETS.

• 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.
• Selection of Students: National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
• Implementing agency –

oMode 1: District Administration

oMode 2: Voluntary organisation (VO)/ Non-Government Organisation (NGO)/ Other organisation