Special scheme for SC students to provide quality education

Vijayawada: SHRESTHA (Scheme for residential education for students in high schools in targeted areas) provides high quality education for meritorious Scheduled Caste students in CBSE affiliated reputed residential schools for class 9th and 11th, said Special Secretary of Social Welfare Department Gandham Chandrudu.

According to him, the Central government sponsors around 3,000 Scheduled Caste students across the country to pursue high quality education.

Gandham Chandrudu said in a statement here on Thursday that the objective of SHRESHTA is to enhance the reach of the development initiative of the government, to fill the gap in service-deprived SCs dominant areas in education sector by collaborating with voluntary organisations, to provide an environment for socio-economic upliftment and overall development of the Scheduled Castes and to provide access to high-quality education to bright Scheduled Caste students so that they can explore future opportunities.

"This scheme will help control the dropout rates among the scheduled caste students especially in the higher classes. Post-12th class, students will be supported with the help of post-matriculation scholarship scheme and top class education scheme to pursue their higher education, said Gandham Chandrudu.

He appealed to the NGOs and the civil societies to help make aware the students about the scheme and enable them to apply to get benefit of the scheme.

He suggested the students to view the scheme guidelines and syllabus for examination via weblinks: https://jnanabhumi.ap.gov.in/ and he appealed to eligible students to apply to the scheme and entrance examination via weblink: https://shreshta.nta.nic.in/ on or before April 12. The national entrance test will be conducted on May 7.