Defence ministry approves admission of girls to 5 Sainik schools for 2020-21

The minister of state for defence Shripad Yesso Naik said girls will be admitted in all 31 Sainik schools across the country as soon as a "time-bound action" is taken.

The Sainik School in Nalanda, Bihar | School website

New Delhi: The government has approved admission of girls in five Sainik schools for the academic session 2020-21 after a pilot project and now decided to admit girls in all 31 Sainik Schools in the country for which a time-bound action plan will be implemented, Rajya Sabha was told Monday.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik said during Question Hour that the government has approved admission of girls in five Sainik Schools ⁠— Kalikiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kodagu (Karnataka), Ghorakhal (Uttarakhand), Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Bijapur (Karnataka) for the academic session 2020-21.

“The pilot project for admission of girl children in Sainik School, Chhingchhip (Mizoram) was started in the academic session 2018-19. After its success, the Government has decided to implement admission of girl children in other Sainik Schools,” Naik said.

In reply to a supplementary, the minister said girls will be admitted in “all 31 Sainik Schools” and for this a “time-bound action will be taken.”

In reply to another supplementary, Naik said the government has made a provision of 10 per cent reservation for girls in such schools.

In reply to another query, the minister said that if any state felt the need for Sainik Schools they can send the proposal to the Centre.