Only Sainik school of Gujarat to admit girls

RAJKOT: The year 2021 will mark an epoch-making event at Sainik School Balachadi as the 60-year-old institution will open its doors for girls, enabling them to make illustrious careers in the Indian armed forces.
Till date, the school, 32 km from Jamnagar, which was set up to train young ones for admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA), was open only for boys. But, beginning next academic session, 10 girls will be given admission and the number of seats for them will be increased later looking at the response, officials said.Also, 67% of these seats will be reserved for school girls from Gujarat.
It was around two years ago that the ministry of defence had taken a decision to allow girls in four or five out of the total 33 Sainik Schools in the country.
The residential school enrols students from Class VI and they are given special training to prepare them for NDA, besides the regular syllabus up to Class XI.
Group captain Ravinder Singh, principal, Sainik School Balachadi, said, “According to the rule, 10% of total vacancy or minimum 10, whichever is more, will be reserved for girls. We have nearly 60 vacancies every year, so 10 girls will be enrolled from the next academic year. There will be 67% reservation for Gujarat and other reservations for SC, ST, OBC will be applied as per the rules.”
Stating that this was a futuristic step, Singh said it will take around seven years for the girls to get prepared for NDA, which may also start inducting women over the coming years.
At present, the school has 570 students on the sea-side camps sprawling nearly 426 acres.
“An exclusive hostel for girls will be built on the campus. Along with studies, military training will be given to girls in the same manner as it’s being conducted for boys enabling them to join as bright defence officers in the armed forces,” the school said in a statement.
“We are optimistic that women will be inducted in combat groups in the future,” said Singh.
The online admission process for next academic session will start today and will continue till November 19, 2020. The entrance examination will be held on January 10, 2021.