Bhubaneswar, April 9: In a significant boost to tribal education in Odisha, eleven students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) have successfully qualified in JEE Main 2026 (Phase–I), showcasing remarkable academic excellence.

Leading the achievers is Avish Alam from EMRS Karanjia, who secured an impressive 97.50 percentile. Other successful candidates include Rinkirani Naik, Sunil Kumar Naik, and Sunia Hembram from EMRS Ranki; Samu Paleya from EMRS Karanjia; Estiphan Hembram, Pujarani Kisan, Deepa Kisan, Rabin Oram, and Salkhu Hembram from EMRS Lahunipara; and Thakur Murmu from EMRS Bhangriposi.

Among the schools, EMRS Lahunipara recorded the highest number of qualifiers, with five students clearing the prestigious national-level engineering entrance examination.

To further nurture their potential, eight of these high-performing students have been selected for specialized JEE Advanced coaching under the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) in New Delhi.

The selected group includes three students each from EMRS Karanjia and EMRS Lahunipara, one from EMRS Ranki, and one from EMRS Bhangriposi. The students embarked on their journey to the national capital l, accompanied by escort teacher Priyanka Kumari.

This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to empowering tribal students by providing them with access to quality education and competitive opportunities in premier engineering institutions across the country.

Pranati Patro, Joint Director of the Odisha Model Tribal Education Society, expressed her gratitude to the Commissioner of NESTS, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav, for facilitating this initiative and supporting the aspirations of tribal students.

The achievement marks a proud moment for Odisha’s tribal education system and highlights the growing success of EMRS institutions in shaping future engineers and leaders.