Tribal youth unaware of universities dedicated for them
Visakhapatnam: The17th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme provided a unique platform for tribal youths as most of them experienced train travel and city life for the first time.
Most of the tribal students expressed a strong resolve to pursue higher education and work towards uplifting their Adivasi communities.
The interactions indicated critical gaps in their awareness levels on various aspects. Despite having access to mobile phones, tribal youth remained unaware of means to university education and institutions dedicated exclusively to tribal students. Tribal youth from Naxal-affected districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha spoke about hardships such as lack of road connectivity, limited resources, inadequate teachers in educational institutions and poor medical facilities among several other barriers they face in pursuing education.
Organised under the aegis of Mera Yuva Bharat, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the programme brought together about 200 youths from six districts, including Dantewada, Kanker, Mohla-Manpur, Sukma, West Singhbhum, and Kandhamal.
During the tribal conclave held at GITAM Deemed to be University in Visakhapatnam, participants articulated ambitious dreams of becoming district collectors, police officers, lawyers and political leaders, asserting that education and development are far better paths than extremism.
Based on the suggestion of Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat, institution’s faculty members, including those from tribal backgrounds, conducted focused career counselling sessions for the youth. Mera Yuva Bharat deputy director G Maheswara Rao noted the strong positive impact of such engagements over the past two years.
