Tribal students excel in JEE under STEM-60 programme

WARANGAL

Fifteen tribal students qualified for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced and five secured eligibility for admission into National Institutes of Technology (NITs) out of 28 MPC students trained for the JEE examinations at the ST Study Circle, Hanamkonda, thanks to the coaching offered under the newly-launched STEM-60 (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme.

With a pass percentage of 53.57% in the JEE Main, the study centre outperformed all other JEE coaching institutions in the erstwhile Warangal district, claimed the officials of the ITDA, Eturnagaram and Tribal Welfare Department.

Introduced in August this academic year by the Telangana Tribal Welfare Department, the programme aims to provide high-quality residential coaching for ST students preparing for national-level entrance examinations such as JEE and NEET. Students were admitted through a screening test and provided with separate hostels, nutritious meals, and subject-wise support from senior and junior faculty, an officer said.

Before the commencement of the STEM-60 programme, a rigorous selection process was conducted, including faculty demonstrations and classroom assessments.

Students were drawn from six districts across the erstwhile Warangal region. The programme offers fully residential and free coaching aimed at helping tribal students secure admission into premier institutions such as IITs, NITs, AIIMS, and medical colleges offering MBBS courses. Officials noted that the Tribal Welfare Department and ITDA have a consistent record of supporting financially disadvantaged but meritorious students by providing fee assistance, laptops, and academic resources.