The Social Justice Ministry has found that many schools under its SHRESHTA scheme meant to provide high school education to Scheduled Caste students are demanding “deposits” from students and parents under various pretexts in contravention of the scheme’s guidelines, which were designed to provide quality free education to beneficiaries.
The Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) is meant to provide residential high school education to SC students in the target areas. Under the scheme, there are two modes — one provides for private residential schools to become part of it, and another allows for NGO-run and voluntary organisation-run residential schools.
Once selected, the schools provide residential schooling facilities to the prescribed number of SC students, following which the funds spent under this scheme by the respective schools are re-imbursed by the government.
According to public reporting by the Ministry of Social Justice, the SHRESHTA scheme serves about 15,000 SC students, including both modes under the scheme. Out of this, over 5,000 students are studying with various private residential schools under Mode-1 mentioned above.
In a letter to the schools on Monday (July 7, 2025), the Social Justice Ministry said, “Regrettably, we have received numerous complaints from students and parents regarding schools demanding deposits under various pretexts such as admission fees, uniforms, books, medical expenses, security deposits, picnic fees and stationery costs.”
The Ministry of Social Justice’s SC Division went on to say that all schools that have consented to be part of the scheme must adhere to the guidelines strictly, adding, “No fees of any kind should be charged from SHRESHTA students. Failure to comply will result in strict actions being taken against the school through the CBSE.”
It noted that these conditions had been specified early on when seeking participation from the schools and that “under no circumstance” should the schools charge the students or their families.
