About 

• In 2022, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the Scheme for Residential Education For Students in High schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESTHA) to provide residential education to Scheduled Caste students in High School in targeted areas. 

• SHRESHTA has been conceived to provide access to high quality residential education to the meritorious poor students from Scheduled Caste communities, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.5 Lakh per annum, at free of cost from class 9th to class 12th.
• Under this, each year a specified number of meritorious SC students in States/UTs are selected  through a transparent mechanism of a National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) and admitted in the best private residential schools affiliated by CBSE/State Boards in classes 9th and 11th for completion of education till 12th standard.
• Entire cost of school fee and hostel fee including food charges shall be borne by the Government of India. 
• The Students under the Scheme may select any school across the country for their academics.

Why in News?

• Under the SHRESTHA scheme, a total of 2,564 students were admitted in 142 Private Residential Schools for academic session 2023-24.