NESTS and UNICEF Start TALASH for Tribal Youth Development

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) and UNICEF India launched TALASH, a new program to support the education and personal growth of tribal students. The initiative will help students studying in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across 28 states and 8 union territories. It aims to build self-confidence, life skills, and guide students in choosing the right careers.

What is TALASH?

TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub. It is India’s first national program made just for tribal students. The program will benefit over 1.38 lakh students in EMRSs. It is a digital platform where students can take tests to understand their talents and interests, receive career suggestions, learn life skills, and get help from trained teachers.

The name ‘TALASH’ means a search — a search for one’s inner strength, abilities, and dreams. It supports not just studies but also emotional and mental development.

Tools and Support for Students and Teachers

The platform uses psychometric tests, based on NCERT’s Tamanna initiative, to help students know what they are good at. After the test, each student gets a Career Card with suggestions for suitable careers.
Students will also get career counselling, and training in life skills like problem-solving, communication, and managing emotions. These lessons will help them become more confident and ready for the future.

Teachers are also being trained through a special e-learning system so they can guide students better. So far, 189 teachers from 75 schools have already started training students in their own schools.

Rollout Plan and Future Goals

TALASH will be introduced in schools step by step so that every school can adopt it smoothly. The plan is to complete the rollout in all EMRSs by the end of 2025. The platform will be regularly improved based on feedback from students, teachers, and other experts.

Mr. Ajeet Kumar Srivastava, Commissioner of NESTS, said,

“TALASH is a sign of our promise to give tribal students a chance to reach their full potential. We want to close the gap in education and build strong future leaders.”

TALASH is also linked with the goals of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which focuses on giving all students equal learning chances and helping them grow in every way.