The Sainik Schools are a system of schools in India established and managed by the Sainik Schools Society under Ministry of Defence. They were conceived in 1961 by V. K. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister of India, to rectify the regional and class imbalance amongst the Officer cadre of the Indian Military, and to prepare students mentally and physically for entry into the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune and Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, kerala. Today there are 33 such schools running and proposed for future covering all the states of the country. The schools come under the purview of respective state governments and Ministry of Defence, and in his Union Budget of 2008, Finance minister, P Chidambaram, allocated 2 crore to each of the 25 Sainik schools, to counter rising attrition in the defence forces, especially at the officer level. The first Sainik School was opened by Dr Sampoorna Nand in UP in 1960 under UP state government and there after other Sainik schools we’re opened. UP Sainik School Lucknow located near Amausi Airport remains the only Sainik School under State Govt.
History
The inspiration for Sainik Schools came from the Rashtriya Indian Military College which have given India many service chiefs and the public school system of England. Sainik schools can be regarded as the ordinary citizen's public school where deserving students can get high quality education irrespective of their income or class background. Seats are reserved for children of serving Defence personnel and concessions are given to children of Government officials. Although Uttar Pradesh Sainik School Lucknow, established in 1960 was the first one of such kind, it is not under the Sainik School Society, but rather under Uttar Pradesh Sainik Schools Society, which is registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act The objective of the Sainik Schools is to prepare the students to lead as officers in the Defence Services of the country. The schools select bright and promising students through a national entrance examination and focus on moulding their overall personality with emphasis on extracurricular activities. Sainik schools resources allow cadets to develop their skills in sports, academics and other extracurricular activities. Sainik Schools include running tracks, cross-country tracks, indoor games, parade grounds, boxing rings, firing ranges, canoeing clubs, horse riding clubs, mountaineering clubs, trekking and hiking club, obstacles courses, football, hockey and cricket fields, as well as volleyball and basketball courts. Cadets also become a part of NCC. A cadet who complete their 12th standard usually possess a NCC B certificate. Cadets are assigned to houses. They are classified as sub-juniors, juniors and seniors respectively depending upon their class of study. Cadets compete in sports, physical training, academics, cross country, drill and various other competitions to win their house trophy.
Sainik Schools Society
The Sainik Schools Society is an organization under the Ministry of Defence. The Chief Executive Body of the Sainik Schools Society is a Board of Governors functioning under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister. For exercising closer control and supervision over the affairs of Sainik Schools there is an Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of Defence Secretary. The day-to-day work of the Society is managed by Dir & Hony Secy who is assisted by Inspecting Officers, Under Secretary, Sainik Schools Society. The staff for the cell is provided by the MoD. The local administration of the school is looked after by a Local Board of Administration whose Chairman is the GoC-in-C of the concerned Command where the Sainik School is located.
Sainik Schools
Existing Sainik Schools under Sainik Schools Society, MOD
Sainik School Lucknow was established in July 1960. The only one of the Sainik Schools to be administered by the state government, the alumni of which, Captain Manoj Pandey, posthumously received Param Veer Chakra. It was the first Sainik School in the country, and was followed by the setting up of other Sainik Schools, under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, on the same lines. The education in this school is subsidised by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. It is a boys' residential English medium school affiliated to CBSE Board. The school is run by the Uttar Pradesh Sainik Schools Society, which is registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act. It is the only Sainik School which is completely financed and managed by the State Government.
Sainik School, Matanhail at Matanhail in Jhajjar district was announced by the Haryana govt in 2018. Foundation stone was laid in 2003 by the then Defence Minister George Fernandez, but no progress was made. In 2018, with the efforts of Haryana Finance Minister, Captain Abhimanyu, the BJP government of Haryana agreed to provide funds and 100 acre land in Matanhail and Rudiyawas villages for the establishment of this school. With this Haryana will be only state in India with 3 sainik schools.
