Eklavya Model Residential School opens in Kalimpong

Bengal got its 8th Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) on Friday with the school opening its gates in Kalimpong district. EMRS provides free education to Scheduled Tribal children under a residential setup. With the district boasting a large tribal population, the school is being perceived as a big boon.

“The school will be under the supervision of the Tribal Development department of the Bengal government. It is absolutely free-of-cost. At present we have started a temporary campus at the Lepcha Youth Hostel in Deorali, Kalimpong.

However, all facilities will be available here. Very soon, after the completion of the permanent campus, the school will be shifted to Charkhol, in the remote part of the district,” stated T Balasubramanian, District Magistrate, Kalimpong. The model schools are from class 6 to class 12 with a capacity of 420 students.

“This academic session, we have started class 6 with 70 students here in Kalimpong. About 52 children have already joined. The others are in the process. Next year we will have class 7,” added the DM.

The school was inaugurated by Ruden Sada Lepcha, MLA Kalimpong in the presence of the District Magistrate and other officials on Friday. “We express our gratitude to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for choosing Kalimpong for the 8th EMRS in the state,” stated the MLA.

“It is a co-education school, under the West Bengal board. We will definitely strive to impart quality education from this school. Overall development of the students will be taken care of,” stated Dipsikha Sharma, teacher-in-charge.