Centre of Excellence for Tribal students in A.P.’s Marikavalasa to provide competitive exam coaching
The Centre has adopted a co-educational format on the lines of Eklavya Model Residential Schools, while providing separate dormitories and classrooms for boys and girls, besides CCTV cameras, dedicated wardens and enhanced security arrangements
The State government of Andhra Pradesh inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students at the Residential School (RS-B) in Marikavalasa on August 30, 2026. This initiative aims to provide intensive coaching for NEET and IIT-JEE exams, thereby increasing the representation of ST students in premier educational institutions.
APTWRREIS secretary M. Gowthami visited the CoE and praised the decision, describing it as "historic" and noting that it followed a similar model seen in Backward Classes and Social Welfare Departments. The CoE has a capacity of 600 Intermediate students, with 300 boys and 300 girls selected through a merit-based process. Physics Wallah, Noida, has been contracted as the coaching agency after a request-for-proposal process.
The Centre has begun classes with 18 faculty members, and a co-educational format has been adopted, with separate dormitories, classrooms, CCTV cameras, wardens, and security measures for boys and girls. Students previously enrolled at RS (B) Marikavalasa were transitioned in a phased manner, with 232 students moving to the School of Excellence for Girls in Marikavalasa, 77 to APSWREIS institutions in Srikrishnapuram, Sabbavaram, and Devarapalli, and 136 to APTWR institutions of their choice.
The move was initiated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to enhance educational standards for ST students and boost their admission rates to top institutions like IITs, NITs, AIIMS, and medical colleges.
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