New Delhi: The all boys Sainik Schools in the country will start giving admission to girl students from academic session 2021-22.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal for admission of girl children in Sainik schools from academic session 2021-22 in a phased manner.

The decision has been taken following the success of the pilot project started by the defence ministry for admission of girl children in Sainik School Chhingchhip in Mizoram two years ago.

“Raksha Mantri has directed concerned authorities to ensure availability of necessary infrastructure and sufficient female staff in Sainik Schools for smooth implementation of the directive,” said a government statement.

It said that the decision is in line with the objective of the government towards greater inclusiveness and gender equality.

Sainik Schools act as feeder institutions for preparing cadets for the armed forces. There are around 28 Sainik Schools across the country.

The demand for admission of girl student in Sainik Schools started as defence forces have started inducting more women.

In Indian Air Force (IAF), there were 1,905 women officers till July 2019. Of these, 8 are fighter pilots and 17 are navigators.

For the first time this year, Indian Army has started the process of inducting women as soldiers in the military police.

Earlier this year, the defence ministry had also said that all women officers will be granted permanent commission in the Indian Army in all the ten branches where women are inducted for short service commission.

Besides the existing two streams of Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps, now permanent commission (PC) will be granted in Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance Corps and Intelligence to women officers.

Sainik Schools were established by former defence minister V.K. Krishna Menon. The first Sainik School was set up in Satara, Maharashtra, in 1961.