NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has given approval for admission of girls in Sainik schools from the 2021-22 academic session, a statement said.
Singh also directed the officials concerned to ensure availability of necessary infrastructure and sufficient female staff in those educational institutes, it said.
The decision was taken following the success of a pilot project started by the Defence Ministry for admission of girls in Sainik School Chhingchhip in Mizoram two years ago.
"The decision is in line with the objective of the government towards greater inclusiveness, gender equality, enabling greater participation of women in armed forces and strengthening the motto of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', propagated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the statement added.
Sainik schools were conceived with the motive of bringing public school education to the doorstep of the common man and for sending the maximum number of its cadets to National Defence Academy.