In 2024, 353 Female Students Enroll in 33 Former Pattern Sainik Schools
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Dec 13 (NationPress) This year, 353 girls have successfully enrolled in 33 Sainik Schools that were established under the former pattern in India, as informed to Parliament on Friday.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, in a written response in Lok Sabha, indicated that in 16 out of the 33 schools, girls have filled the institution's capacity, with the largest group of 16 female students learning at Sainik School, Tilaiya in Jharkhand.
The only other former pattern Sainik School that accommodates 16 students is Sainik School Amaravathinagar in Tamil Nadu; however, it has two vacant seats as only 14 girls have enrolled in 2024.
All 33 Sainik Schools under the former pattern have transitioned to co-educational institutions from the academic session 2021-22 to promote gender equality and facilitate the induction of women into the armed forces, as stated by the MoS.
MoS Seth mentioned that to inspire girl cadets to enroll in Sainik Schools, extensive promotion for the admission of girls in existing schools has been conducted, and suitable girl cadets' infrastructure has been established in these institutions.
In response to inquiries about creating new Sainik Schools in collaboration with NGOs/Trusts/Private/Government Schools, the MoS clarified that there are no limitations on forming an all-girls or co-educational Sainik School.
The Sainik School Society imposes no restrictions on the number of girls who can be admitted to the new Sainik Schools.
One institution, Samvid Gurukulam Senior Secondary School in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, has been sanctioned as an all-girls Sainik School.
The MoS also stated that 36 new co-educational Sainik Schools are now operational.
Earlier, on December 4 in the Rajya Sabha, the Defence Ministry reported that all 33 Sainik Schools established under the former pattern in the country, including the three Sainik Schools located at Amethi, Jhansi, and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, are co-educational. The creation of an all-girls Sainik School under the former pattern is not currently under consideration.
