CJP to launch ‘Adivasi School Thik Karo’ campaign in Gadchiroli

The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) will launch the ‘Adivasi School Thik Karo’ campaign from Gadchiroli on September 17 to address the neglect of tribal education. Tribal students have only a 22.8% enrolment rate in higher education, with just 130 Scheduled Tribe applicants admitted to IITs, highlighting the urgent need for reform, said a CJP representative.

Tribal schools across India have suffered neglect for over 80 years, with successive governments failing to improve facilities or infrastructure, according to CJP. Many tribal residential schools operate from cramped, rented properties without adequate funds. The campaign will include visits by CJP representatives to tribal schools to inspect their conditions.

Experts question why the number of tribal admissions and faculty in premier institutions like IITs remains so low despite the country’s economic growth. They warn that boasting a 7.8% GDP growth or aiming for a $5 trillion economy means little if vulnerable rural and indigenous youth are abandoned.

Political parties have spent crores on district headquarters but claim insufficient funds to upgrade tribal schools. If tragedies occurred in elite schools in major cities, the nation would react strongly, but deaths in tribal areas pass silently, with families receiving minimal compensation.

CJP urges all governments to focus on tribal and rural students, who are as much the future of the country as those from urban and private schools. The campaign aims to bring attention to these issues and push for better educational opportunities for tribal youth.