India's Sainik Schools to admit Girls; PM Modi makes Nari Shakti pitch on Independence Day

From the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his Independence day address to the Nation for the 8th time, this year celebrating India completing 74 years since winning freedom from the British. In his 91-minute address, which was about 5 minutes longer than the 2020 speech, he touched upon many topics and made a slew of key announcements, one among them being the importance of women being present, involved and respected in key areas of progress. 

Stating that he had received multitudes of letters from girls all over the country expressing their desire to attend Sainik Schools, PM Modi announced that all Sainik Schools across the country will now open up their rosters to girls.

It's a matter of great pride, that whether it be education or courts or the Olympic games, our daughters are doing us proud. Today, India's daughters are ready to claim their place," the PM said.

He added, "We have to ensure that in every career and field of work, women have a big role. We must ensure that from the streets to workplaces, women feel safe, and respected. Hence, the government & administration, police forces, law & order machinery, citizens and others have to fulfil their responsibility 100%." 

The Prime Minister put forth, "This needs to be our intent as part of completing 75 years of Independence. Today, I want to share with citizens: I used to get lakhs of messages from daughters that they also want to study in Sainik Schools; that Sainik Schools' doors be opened for them too. 2-2.5 years ago, Mizoram's Sainik School allowed girls to join. Now the government has decided, all the country's Sainik Schools will be opened up for all girls. Girls will also now study in the country's Sainik Schools."

Girls allowed in Sainik Schools: After Chhingchhip paves the way, floodgates to open

In 2018, the Sainik School in Chhingchhip, Mizoram, created history by becoming the first of its kind to admit girls by creating a reservation of 10% for female students and adding 6 girls to its batch of 6th Std. Now, in his Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister has announced that all Sainik Schools are to follow suit. Opening up of Sainik Schools for girls comes at a time that the government has been asked to file a reply in an ongoing Supreme Court case on why women aren't admitted to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA). Sainik Schools are seen as springboards into India's elite military academies.

What are Sainik Schools?

The Sainik Schools are a system of schools in India established and managed by the Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). They were first 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 careers in national defence.

(Image Credit: PIB Inida)