Reactions from schools in 13 states and union territories to the Center’s Sainik School membership program have been lukewarm and proactive action is needed on this matter, the Department of Defense (MoD) said on Saturday. These 13 states and union territories are Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal, New Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, the ministry said in a statement.
The union cabinet had approved a proposal in October last year to establish 100 Sainik Affiliate Schools under the Sainik School Society in partnership with states, NGOs or private entities. These affiliated schools will function as an exclusive vertical that will differentiate and differ from the existing Defense Sainik schools.
About 230 schools from different states have applied to join the Sainik School Society, the statement said. “At the same time, it is noted that participation of private or NGO or government-run schools from Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal, New Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir is lukewarm even if there is a great opportunity for these governments of state and union territories to establish Sainik school in their area,” it said.
A proactive drive in this regard will have multiple effects in providing a window to meet the ambitious needs of parents and students from such areas, it added. Once schools have submitted their application forms, their evaluation will be conducted by a district-level school evaluation committee and the report will be submitted to the Sainik School Society in the last week of January.
Schools approved by the Sainik School Society will start following the Sainik Schools curriculum and activities from the next academic year (April 2022). This curriculum is intended for students in grades 6 and above. Other aspects of school management, including teacher training, sports implementation and other extracurricular activities, will be communicated separately to the approved schools.
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