Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Approves Admission of Girls in Sainik Schools Across India

New Delhi, October 19, 2019:

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has given approval to admit girl students in 'Sainik' Schools across India from the 2021-22 academic session onwards.

In an official statement, Rajnath Singh has directed the authorities concerned to ensure availability of necessary infrastructure and adequate women staff in the educational institutes.

In the official release, it was stated that the decision is in line with the objective of the government towards greater inclusiveness, gender equality, enabling greater participation of women in armed forces and strengthening the motto of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', propagated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The decision was taken following the success of a pilot project that started two years ago in Mizoram.

Moreover, the Sainik School in Lucknow had inducted 15 girl students earlier this year.

The 26 Sainik schools across the country are the key institutions that prepare future armed forces’ officers.

This can be considered as the first step to girls for entering the National Defence Academy which is a training ground for all three services.

With this move of the Government it can be seen that once a domain of men, the Army, Navy and Air Force are slowly but surely opening their doors to women, with the IAF leading the way and currently employing eight women fighter pilots.

Earlier, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said that they were in the process of recruiting and training the first batch of women for the military police.

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