Recently, a controversial social media post has flagged concern about the Adani Sainik School in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The post attempts to portray a grim picture about privatising military education in India, where corporate bodies would create their own private armies. The post is trying to sensationalise a government initiative to expand the Sainik Schools footprint in India that imparts academic excellence with focus on military style discipline and holistic development.
In 2021, the Government of India announced a proposal to establish 100 new Sainik Schools under a Public-Private Partnership(PPP) model. These schools are being established in collaboration with NGOs, private schools and state governments. These schools will be managed by the Sainik Schools Society(SSS) which functions under the Ministry of Defence. SSS is a registered society under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 and manages Sainik Schools including approved new Sainik Schools, like Adani Sainik School.
Sainik Schools were established in the year 1961 as a joint venture between the Central and State governments, under the overall control of the SSS, Ministry of Defence. Under this model, 36 Sainik Schools are functioning in the various states of India. The government also approved entry of girl students in the Sainik Schools from the academic year 2021-22 in a phased manner to promote gender equality. During my military career, I had the opportunity to visit many Sainik Schools. I can vouch for the academic excellence of these schools as also for their focus on a disciplined life. The infrastructure and the facilities in these schools is top class. These residential schools provide quality education at low fees. The students from poor background are given financial help and scholarship.
Sainik Schools were initially planned as a platform to groom the young students for a career in the armed forces, particularly as officers. In due course, the students excelled in academics and joined important career options like the IAS, IPS, State services and para military forces. In the Indian armed forces, a large strength of the officer cadre has Sainik School background. For example, both General Upendra Dwivedi, the COAS and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, the CNS are alumni of Sainik School, Reva, Madhya Pradesh. In addition, a large alumnus of the Sainik Schools are successful professionals, having proved their mettle in many fields.
The expansion of the Sainik Schools through the PPP model is a sensible move to further reach out to a wider section of the society, particularly the marginalised ones. The admission to the Sainik Schools from Class 6 onwards, including the new ones opened under PPP model, is carried out through an all-India entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency. It carries out admissions in a most transparent manner, where candidates have pan India participation. The education and curriculum in all the schools are same. The training and grooming are regularly inspected by the officials of SSS. In no way, the students are trained to be a part of a private army. Such an allegation is an insult to the motivated youth of the country.
Sainik Schools are also affiliated to the National Cadet Corps(NCC), which also function under the Ministry of Defence. NCC is open to the boys and girls in schools and colleges across the country and imparts basic military training in small arms, besides physical training, drill parade and orientation towards adventure activities like para drop, microlight flying etc. The current strength of NCC in India is more than 2.3 lakhs and there is a demand to raise new units by the states. Now no one has ever said that NCC trains young people to be part of private armies. NCC has proved to be an extremely useful organisation in the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NCC played a key role in providing valuable assistance to the local administration.
As regards the name of Sainik Schools, many new schools under the PPP model have retained the original name of the institution. For example, Adani Sainik School is part of Adani World School. The aim of the social media post to target Adani Sainik School is obviously motivated and malicious in nature aimed to malign the institution. India needs the new Sainik Schools for preparing the students for a career in various uniformed forces, besides grooming a nucleus of disciplined citizens for the larger national security interests.
