Boosting Education: Upgrading Ashram Schools and Engineering Colleges in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra cabinet has approved the upgradation of 24 ashram schools to enhance educational opportunities for tribal students and initiated the establishment of an engineering college in Solapur. This move aims to reduce dropouts among tribal students and boost technical education through better facilities and staffing.

The Maharashtra cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has greenlit an initiative to upgrade 24 aided ashram schools. This move is designed to bolster educational prospects for tribal students, particularly girls, reducing dropout rates by offering local educational opportunities.

As a part of this initiative, five primary ashram schools will transition into secondary schools, while 19 secondary schools will advance into junior colleges. An official statement highlighted that 30 teaching positions and 25 multipurpose staff roles will be established for the upgraded primary schools, with a further 148 teaching roles sanctioned for the new junior colleges.

In a related effort, the cabinet approved the creation of an engineering college by upgrading the existing Government Polytechnic in Solapur. The faculty will offer courses in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Computer Science and Engineering, and Electronics and Telecommunication from 2026-27, with a projected cost of Rs 157.66 crore over four years.