Jamshedpur, March 14: Tribal students aspiring to become management graduates can now fulfil their dreams at Xavier Labour Relation Institute (XLRI) which plans to set up a residential education centre for tribals.

The centre, christened Xavier Institute of Tribal Education (XIET), would be set up in Adityapur. Sources said XIET would come up in 30 acres of land, which has been acquired from the Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (AIADA).

According to Jiren Topno, who is heading the tribal education project, the first batch, comprising 25 boys and an equal number of girls, would be admitted in July.

“Since the construction of the centre and residential hostel is expected to take some time, we will conduct classes from the GT Hostel located at the Tata Yodogawa Limited. Once the construction of the centre is completed, we will move into the new place,” he said, adding that from next year the batch size would be increased to 100.

For selecting the first batch of 50 students, the XLRI management would conduct an XITE aptitude test on April 25.

Topno said those students who have completed their intermediate or Plus Two examinations would be eligible for the test.

Elaborating on the course which will be offered to the students, Topno said: “It will be a three-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree course.”

He said: “In the first year, subjects like mathematics, general knowledge, computer science and English would be on offer. This will be followed by management courses in the second and third year.”

XLRI director Father P.D. Thomas said: “We are launching a degree course for tribal students for the first time. It is being done with an aim to provide an opportunity to meritorious tribal students of the state who after completing the course can pursue a career in business administration. We are optimistic of running the course successfully.”

XLRI officials said it had received government funds to run the tribal education centre.

Refusing to disclose the amount, the officials said that Tata Steel has also agreed to financially support the ambitious tribal education project.

Over the past five decades, XLRI has contributed in the growth and management of several institutions that serve the public, especially the organised industry, labour, service agencies engaged in rural development, education, health and other public systems.

This for the first time it will take up an ambitious project for tribal students, sources said.