On Wednesday, the government took the decision to admit girl cadets in Sainik schools across India from the academic session 2021-22. Earlier, only boy cadets were allowed admission to Sainik schools.
Girl cadets had been admitted to the Mizoram Sainik school in the 2018-2019 session and the success of the same prodded the government to take this decision. A few other Sainik schools had also taken the gender jump in recent years. There are 33 Sainik schools working across India now.
“After the success of pilot Project for admission of girl cadets in Sainik School Chhingchhip, Mizoram, in the academic session 2018-19, the government has decided to admit girl cadets along with boys in all Sainik Schools from the academic session 2021-22,” Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in Lok Sabh.
Sainik school partnerships
Naik also said that the government was thinking of setting up Sainik schools in partnership with NGOs, private schools and state governments.
“The endeavour is to provide schooling opportunities in ‘CBSE Plus’ type of educational environment by involving desirous government/private schools/NGOs to partner in establishing/aligning their system with Sainik school ethos, value system and national pride,” Shripad Naik said in a written reply.
About Sainik schools
Sainik schools aim to prepare students from an early age for entry into the Indian armed forces. They are run by Sainik Schools Society which is under administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. These schools are established on receipt of specific requests from state governments.
