NESTS signs Bihar, EdTech pacts to boost tribal education through EMRS network

THe subject breeding beau monde for Tribal Students (NESTS), below the unification Ministry of Tribal Affairs, on Friday signed two agreements aimed at strengthening the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) network, partnering with the Bihar government to improve the implementation of tribal residential schools and with education technology firm CoGrad to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled academic support for tribal students across the country.The first memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed with the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission under the state’s SC and ST welfare department, aims to strengthen coordination for the planning, establishment and monitoring of EMRSs in Bihar.“Under the pact, Bihar will receive financial assistance of ₹1.47 lakh per student under the EMRS scheme, bringing it in line with other states that have entered into similar agreements with NESTS. Recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff will be carried out through a centralised process to ensure uniform standards and transparency,” secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Ranjana Chopra said.“The MoU also provides for the adoption of a common academic framework based on the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) curriculum and aligned with CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) standards, with the objective of improving educational outcomes and expanding opportunities for tribal students in the state,” she added.Separately, NESTS signed an agreement with CoGrad (Supervision Educare Private Limited) to deploy AI-driven tools across the EMRS ecosystem. The initiative will support more than 9,000 teachers working in 499 functional EMRSs and is expected to benefit over 1.5 lakh tribal students nationwide, officials said.A senior ministry official said that as part of the collaboration, CoGrad will provide free access for two years to a customised version of its educator-focused platform, Medha AI, and train teachers, principals and academic administrators in its use.“The platform offers tools for automated quiz and assessment generation, lesson planning, creation of 3D learning models and development of teaching-learning materials,” he said, requesting anonymity.The ministry said the initiative is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the government’s broader push for technology-enabled education. Officials said the twin agreements reflect a wider effort to improve the quality of residential schooling for tribal students through stronger governance, better infrastructure and greater use of digital learning tools.