Tripura has become the first state in the country to introduce the empanelment of private B.Ed. and D.El.Ed. institutions under the Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma announced on Tuesday.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring greater transparency, accountability and wider access to quality teacher education for tribal students across the state.

Chairing a review meeting with officials of the Tribal Welfare Department and representatives of the empanelled private institutions, Debbarma reviewed the implementation roadmap for the 2026–27 academic session.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the responsibilities of the empanelled institutions, adherence to the prescribed guidelines, and measures to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the scholarship scheme so that eligible tribal students receive its benefits without hurdles.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the reform marks a significant step in strengthening educational opportunities for tribal youth. He noted that by bringing private teacher training institutions under the scholarship framework through a structured empanelment process, the government aims to improve transparency in fund utilization and ensure quality education for beneficiaries.

Debbarma said the initiative reflects the Tripura government's commitment to human resource development and the empowerment of tribal communities through education. He expressed confidence that the scheme would encourage more ST students to pursue professional teacher training and contribute to the state's education sector.

The empanelment process is expected to streamline the implementation of the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme while ensuring better institutional accountability and improved access to teacher education for tribal students.