NESTS Organizes Two-Day Workshop on Building Quality Infrastructure for Tribal Education
The National Education Society for Tribal Students organized a two-day workshop on Building Quality Infrastructure for Tribal Education on 21 and 22 November 2025 at Akashvani Bhawan in New Delhi. The event focused on strengthening educational infrastructure for tribal communities through Eklavya Model Residential Schools to support effective learning environments aligned with the vision for tribal transformation through education.
Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs Inaugurates Workshop and Unveils Engineers’ Handbook
Ms. Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, inaugurated the workshop and released the EMRS Engineers’ Handbook for Building. She stated that the objective of the workshop was to reinforce coordination among NESTS, project teams, and site engineers involved in EMRS projects. She highlighted that EMRSs contribute to generational social mobility by offering holistic and dignified educational spaces that build confidence among tribal students and their families.
She stressed the importance of safety, structural strength, and visual quality in school construction and noted that these institutions represent hope and opportunity. While recognizing site-specific issues, she emphasized that diligence, transparent communication, and aligned expectations are vital for the delivery of high-quality EMRS campuses. She added that the workshop aims to address information gaps, technical concerns, and collaborative efforts for creating safe and inspiring school facilities.
Address by Commissioner, NESTS
Shri Ajeet K. Srivastava, Commissioner, NESTS, welcomed the Chief Guest and highlighted progress under the EMRS programme. He noted that 499 schools are currently functional, 397 buildings are complete, and the remaining institutions are in different phases of construction or pre-construction. He underlined the importance of timely completion while maintaining quality, stating that delays in good-quality EMRS construction would result in tribal children not attending school.
About the Workshop
The workshop gathered engineers from PSUs, CPWD, State Governments, and construction agencies. As a capacity-building initiative, it focused on improving construction progress while ensuring adherence to quality standards. The programme reflects the commitment to creating dependable educational infrastructure in remote tribal regions.
Sessions included discussions on project planning, monitoring, geotechnical studies, material testing, earthwork, and reinforcement practices tailored to tribal areas. Participants also reviewed architectural layouts, planning frameworks, and location-specific construction challenges. The need to adapt construction methods to geographical and cultural contexts for long-term sustainability was emphasized.
Expert Inputs for Quality Construction
Experts from IITs, NITs, CBRI, SAI, and other institutions shared insights to support collaborative problem-solving and innovative approaches. Topics included quality assurance systems, material testing techniques, and project management strategies. Interactive sessions provided opportunities to discuss field-level challenges and exchange practical inputs related to EMRS development.