Coal India Partners with Tribal Ministry to Boost Education in Chhattisgarh

21 Jul 2025 CW Team

 In a historic move, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Coal India Ltd (CIL) have partnered to improve the quality of education for tribal students in Chhattisgarh. Under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, CIL will support 68 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in the state, benefiting more than 28,000 tribal students.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs established EMRS to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, enabling them to access higher and professional education and secure gainful employment across sectors. Besides delivering high-quality education, EMRS also ensures students’ nutrition, health, and overall development. Currently, there are 479 functional EMRS across India.

CIL has sanctioned Rs 10 crore under its CSR initiatives to support the Tribal Affairs Ministry through the following interventions:

Promotion of digital education by setting up computer labs; approximately 3,200 computers and 300 tablets will be procured;
Improving health and hygiene of girl students by installing around 1,200 sanitary napkin vending machines and 1,200 incinerators in schools and hostels;
Providing comprehensive mentorship for students; and
Organising residential entrepreneurial boot camps at premier institutes such as IIT, IIM, and NIT.

Through this wide-ranging intervention, MoTA and CIL aim to create a modern, innovative learning environment in EMRS and provide equal opportunities for students from disadvantaged communities. This collaboration seeks to bridge educational gaps and open new avenues for tribal youth through digital learning, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. It aligns with the government’s broader efforts under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to ensure equitable and inclusive education for all.

The project will be implemented through the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Section 8 company under the Ministry.

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