Gujarat's Only Sainik School Approves Admission Of Girls From Next Academic Year

The Sainik School situated in Balachadi, a village in Jamnagar district, Gujarat, decided to open its gates for girl students from the upcoming academic session 2021-22. The Union Ministry of Defence also approved to admit girls initially in Class 6, PTI reported. For the first time ever, Gujarat's only Sainik School will reserve ten percent of total vacancies or minimum ten seats for girls, a release by the Defence PRO for Gujarat said. The aim behind reserving the exclusive seats for girls in the school is to encourage more girls into joining the defence forces.

Run by the defence authorities, an exclusive hostel for girls will also be established at the school, it added. "Along with studies, military training will be given to girls in the same manner as it is being conducted for boys enabling them to join as officers in armed forces," the release stated.

Sainik Schools for girls

“In continuation with the efforts of government in empowering women in various sectors, including defence, Ministry of Defence has taken the decision to open the doors of Sainik Schools for girls from academic session 2021-’22. Sainik School Balachadi is also gearing up for admitting the girls in Class 6 from next academic session. 10% of total vacancies or minimum ten, whichever is more, will be reserved for girls,” a release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) stated on Tuesday.

It will also be the first time that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is going to conduct the entrance examination for admissions in Sainik Schools, scheduled on January 10 next year.

Late last year, the government gave a nod to admit girls in all 31 Sainik schools across the country for the academic session 2020-21. Initially, as a pilot project, the admission of girls was approved in only five Sainik Schools ⁠— Kalikiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kodagu (Karnataka), Ghorakhal (Uttarakhand), Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Bijapur (Karnataka).

Also Read: Fighting their own battle, 340 women gets permanent commission as officers in the Indian army

Feature Image Credit: TOI

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