Bhubaneswar: Sainik Schools, a male bastion ever since the first one of them opened some 55 years ago, finally opened its doors to girls.
The Union Defence Ministry has decided to allow girls in Sainik Schools after developing required infrastructure and staff. Following an order of Rajasthan High Court, the Defence Ministry has decided, in principle, to admit girl cadets in the Sainik Schools within the authorised strength.
As of now, no additional seats are being planned by the ministry, the sources said.
Before admitting the girls, the Centre has asked the Orissa government to develop required infrastructure for the girls.
In a letter to state Chief Secretary AP Padhi, the ministry said, separate hostel should be built for girls or one of the existing hostel buildings should be earmarked for girl cadets. Adequate security arrangements like boundary wall or barbed wire fencing is also required.
The ministry also urged the state government to ensure adequate wash rooms for girls both in the hostel as well as academic building, swimming pool and auditorium. Separate medical examination rooms as girl ward and detention rooms should be created at school hospital.
The Sainik Schools would also recruit lady nursing assistant, female counselor, lady physical education instructor and matron for the girls hostels in the proportion of one per 100 girls. The state government Monday asked the Bhubaneswar Sainik School to submit a detailed proposal to meet the requirements within a week.
At present, the city-based Sainik School has a strength of 900 cadets from Class VI to XII. The total strength of class VI is 90, the sources said.
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