The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced the 'Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas' (SHRESHTA) in a significant move aimed at advancing education and promoting the socio-economic progress of Scheduled Castes (SCs). According to a ministry press release, the primary goal of this initiative is to broaden the impact of government development programmes and bridge service gaps in areas primarily populated by SC communities in the education sector.

'SHRESHTA envisions the creation of a conducive environment for the socio-economic upliftment and comprehensive development of SC students, ensuring a brighter future for them,' the release reads. The scheme's core strategy involves fostering collaboration between grant-in-aid institutions managed by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and residential high schools offering quality education.

The scheme's implementation is divided into two modes. The SHRESHTA schools are the best CBSE/State Board-affiliated private residential schools in the country. Under this mode, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will select a specific number of outstanding SC students from various States and Union Territories (UTs) each year through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS). Students will then be admitted to the best private residential schools affiliated with CBSE/State Boards for their education from 9th to 12th grades. These schools are chosen based on their exceptional performance, with schools with more than a 75% pass rate for classes 10 and 12 over the last three years being chosen by a selection committee for admission.