Northeast EMRS among 75 schools to get ISRO-backed space labs

In a landmark move aimed at empowering tribal youth, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) have announced the establishment of "Space Labs" in 75 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 19 states — including key Northeast states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura, and Assam (via Bodoland Territorial Region institutions).

The initiative, supported under BPCL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with a sanctioned amount of Rs 12 crore, aims to bridge educational gaps and open doors for over 50,000 tribal students in the fields of space science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 

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The labs will be technically guided by ISRO-recognised space tutor agencies and will feature advanced models of launch vehicles, telescopes, Cansat working kits, and teaching-learning materials aligned with India’s space missions.

This collaboration marks a major step under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 towards creating inclusive and high-quality education for Scheduled Tribe students.

 With 470 functional EMRS nationwide, this move is seen as pivotal in nurturing future scientists and innovators from India’s tribal communities, particularly in remote and underrepresented regions like the Northeast.