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29 October 2014

5% Army officers still ‘come from Sainik Schools’

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 28
Even today Sainik Schools and Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) contribute five to six per cent of the officers to Indian army, says head of Doctrine branch at Army Training Command (ARTRAC), Shimla Major General Sukesh Rakshit.

While grooming of students at Sainik Schools, focus is on overall development of students, including academics, co-curricular activities, physical fitness and discipline, besides inculcating in them a spirit of staunch nationalism.

The curriculum is continuously upgraded to keep the students abreast of the latest trends and developments. The students not joining the army do well in other fields. The focus on physical fitness and sports makes the students bold, tough and capable of facing challenges. This helps them during examinations for entry into the Indian Army.

Not only a large number of pass-outs from Sainik Schools enter the Army, but they also hold high positions in the Air force and Navy. The number of Generals coming out of Sainik schools is in three digits, he added.

At present, there are 27 Sainik Schools in the country. These are managed by Sainik Schools Society.

The objective of the Sainik Schools is to prepare students to lead as officers in the defence services of the country. The schools select promising students through entrance examination. After that the focus is on moulding their overall personality with emphasis on extracurricular activities.

The Army, which was a leading career choice of youth, had been relegated to lower positions in recent years and brilliant students were not joining the Army. However, after the Sixth Pay Commission and improved service conditions in the Army, the trend has reversed and shortage of officers at middle level has been reduced drastically, says another General.

The concept of Sainik Schools came into being in 1961 to rectify regional and class imbalance among the officer cadre of the Indian military and to prepare students for entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla and Pune and Indian Naval Academy.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20141029/nation.htm#19

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