Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has issued a detailed time-bound action plan to increase student enrolment in govt and aided tribal ashramshaalas to full capacity, directing project officers to conduct village-level surveys, meet parents, and ensure admissions are completed before the academic year begins.The state has 500 govt and 557 aided ashramshaalas under the tribal development department (TDD). The TDD said that some schools are overenrolled while others have very low attendance, and that a uniform and inclusive policy was needed.Under the new framework, students must be admitted to an ashramshaala within their own project office’s jurisdiction, with preference given to the nearest school. Admission to a school under another project office is permitted only after all seats in the home jurisdiction are filled. Each student must be admitted to a school within 80 km of their residence. Parental consent is mandatory for all admissions.Schools failing to achieve full enrolment must improve facilities, food quality, and education standards on a time-bound basis. Project officers must conduct headmaster meetings before April 25 to ensure complete clarity on the new plan. The department has also asked its teachers to conduct village visits and collect names of potential students, including those who have cleared Class 4, 5, 7, or 8 in Zilla Parishad schools. A second round of home visits is to be completed between April 25 and 30, with final admissions confirmed between May 1 and 30. Schools with remaining vacancies must conduct another round of home visits between June 10 and 15.Promotion campaigns using WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, along with street plays at weekly markets, must be run in April. Information about JEE and NEET special coaching available at ashramshaalas must also be publicised.Schools achieving 100% enrolment will receive a special entry in staff performance reports and a felicitation at the project level. Schools with less than 70% enrolment face administrative action against responsible staff.
