Brinda Karat urges Tribal Affairs Minister to reverse centralised recruitment for Eklavya schools

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat has written to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram seeking intervention to reverse the present centralised processes of recruitment in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), saying it adversely affects tribal students.

In a letter to Oram on Monday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said the present method of recruitment of teachers, non-teaching staff and Principal must be reversed in the interests of the students.

Karat said the new method of recruitment of staff adopted by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) following the decision by the central Government is deeply flawed and is bound to result in undermining the very purpose of these schools.

She said the centralised examination has no regard for knowledge of Adivasi cultures and made it compulsory for all candidates to have “language competency” in both English and Hindi but not in the language of the state or that of the Adivasi communities.

“A great deal depends on the teaching faculty and their sensitivity and commitment to understanding the framework of Adivasi cultures, languages and requirements. Unfortunately, the present method of recruitment for teaching and also non-teaching staff as well as for the post of Principal of these EMR schools is itself deeply flawed and is bound to result in undermining if not destroying the very purpose of these schools,” Karat said in her letter.

In the 2023 budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared that the Central agency NESTS would recruit over 38,000 staff for EMRs over the next five years.

“Why should the state language be ignored? Why should competence not include knowledge of Adivasi cultures and languages? Why should Hindi be imposed in states where it is not the spoken language as is the case in states in south or east and northeast India?” she said.

She said the recruits are asked to learn the “local language” within two years.

“Is this feasible? And even if it is, what happens in those two years when language becomes the barrier for the children to learn? Practically, it is the children who will be forced to adjust to a language alien to them with all the grave consequences for their learning,” she said.

She said in EMRS, which is often situated in remote areas, it has been the experience that non-local teachers and staff have high rates of absenteeism on some pretext or the other.

She also said a large number of such recruits desire transfers to places closer to their homes and families, also quoting the Ministry website, which says no requests for change of posting are being considered at present.

“The best way to guarantee the students’ interests is to ensure that the staff and faculty of the EMR schools comprise those familiar with the language spoken by the students and the cultural framework within which they live. Only local recruitment should be considered,” she said.

“The EMRs are an important institution to help tribal students. However, the present method of recruitment must be reversed in the interests of the students. I request you to give due consideration to this issue,” she added.