What this scheme offers
A genuinely talented student from a Naxal-affected district of Chhattisgarh faces a real problem: the coaching needed to compete for engineering college seats simply doesn't exist locally, and moving to where it does exist is expensive and disruptive. Prayas — established in Raipur in 2010 as a residential school-cum-coaching institute for boys who'd cleared Class 10 from Naxal-hit districts — solves both problems at once: free residential schooling, coaching, food and uniforms in one place. The results have been genuinely demonstrable, not just aspirational — 249 students from the very first batch passed Class 12, with many going on to clear PET, the All India Engineering Entrance Examination and IIT entrance. Buoyed by that success, the programme was extended to Sarguja, Raigarh, Korba and Bastar districts.
Who is eligible
- Student from a Naxal-affected district of Chhattisgarh (originally Sarguja, Raigarh, Korba, Bastar, and the founding cohort).
- Passed Class 10 examination.
- Selected through the programme's entrance/selection process.
Documents required
- Class 10 marksheet
- Aadhaar card
- Residential proof for the eligible district
- Caste certificate, where applicable to the specific intake
How to apply
- Check with your district's Tribal and Scheduled Castes Welfare office for the current admission cycle and entrance test dates.
- Appear for the programme's selection/entrance process after clearing Class 10.
- Selected students are admitted to the residential facility in Raipur (or the relevant extended-district centre).
- The programme covers tuition, coaching, food, uniforms and accommodation for the duration of study.
- Contact the Tribal Welfare Department for the latest admission announcements, as intake happens on an annual cycle.