Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Andhra Pradesh Relocates Students for Tribal Centre of Excellence
The Andhra Pradesh government is opening a special school in Marikavalasa for Scheduled Tribe students.
The school will help students prepare for important medical and engineering entrance tests.
It is planned to house 600 students, with equal places for boys and girls.
Students who were already studying at the location were moved to other schools.
Officials said the moves happened in stages so their studies would not be interrupted.
Physics Wallah is providing coaching, and classes have already started.
Some parents and tribal representatives objected to closing the old boys’ school.
They said the decision did not match local community preferences.
Authorities relocated students from the Marikavalasa tribal welfare school to make way for a Centre of Excellence for Scheduled Tribe students.
The government said 232 students were transferred, including 77 to three tribal welfare residential institutions and 128 to institutions chosen according to student preferences.
The Centre of Excellence will offer residential coaching for NEET and IIT-JEE, with capacity for 600 intermediate students—300 boys and 300 girls.
Physics Wallah has been contracted for coaching, 18 faculty members have been appointed, and classes have begun.
The Adivasi Girijana Sangham and the Marikavalasa School Parents Committee opposed closing the existing boys’ school and relocating its students.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh government, relocated students, the Adivasi Girijana Sangham, and the Marikavalasa School Parents Committee are involved.
- What
- Authorities relocated students to establish a Centre of Excellence for Scheduled Tribe students at the existing Marikavalasa site.
- When
- The relocations were carried out in phases ahead of the Centre of Excellence’s launch; classes have already commenced.
- Where
- Marikavalasa in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh.
- Why
- The Centre of Excellence is intended to provide residential coaching for Scheduled Tribe students preparing for NEET and IIT-JEE examinations.
Government Rationale
Community Concerns
Purpose of the site
Government Rationale
Officials say the Centre of Excellence will create a residential coaching platform to improve Scheduled Tribe students’ access to IITs, NITs, AIIMS, and government medical colleges.
Community Concerns
The Adivasi Girijana Sangham and the Marikavalasa School Parents Committee objected to closing the existing Tribal Gurukulam Boys’ School at the site.
Student relocation
Government Rationale
Authorities said students were moved in phases and that their academic continuity was not interrupted.
Community Concerns
The opposition said the relocation upset parents and community representatives because government priorities did not align with local sentiments.
Institutional priorities
Government Rationale
The government describes the new centre as a step toward academic excellence, equal gender representation, and greater national-institution access for Scheduled Tribe students.
Community Concerns
Community representatives expressed concern that these priorities came at the expense of the existing local school.
- Relocated students
- Authorities stated that 232 students were transferred from the Marikavalasa school.
- Reported transfers
- The article lists 77 students sent to institutions in Srikrishnapuram, Sabbavaram, and Devarapalli, and 128 sent to other tribal welfare institutions according to preference.
- Capacity
- The Centre of Excellence is approved for 600 intermediate students: 300 boys and 300 girls.
- Coaching provider
- Physics Wallah was contracted to provide coaching.
- Faculty
- Eighteen faculty members have been appointed, and classes have begun.
- Academic focus
- The centre will prepare Scheduled Tribe students for NEET and IIT-JEE.
- Reported discrepancy
- The stated total of 232 relocated students does not equal the listed transfers of 77 and 128, which add up to 205.