# Indian Army starts free coaching in Doda for Sainik School exam 2026-11-03T01:37:26+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Indian Army has launched an eight-week free coaching programme in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, to prepare 60 underprivileged students for the All India Sainik School Entrance Exam. Inaugurated on Monday, 2 November 2026, by Commander 9 Sector RR Brigadier Vikrant Shinde at the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters in Thaleela village, the programme targets students from remote areas who lack access to specialised coaching. The 60 students, drawn from different schools in Doda district, were shortlisted after qualifying an examination. Teachers brought from West Bengal will provide the coaching. Brigadier Shinde said the initiative aims to bridge educational gaps and offer equal opportunities. Free study material was also distributed. Students expressed gratitude to the Army for supporting their dream of studying at a Sainik School. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The programme addresses a structural gap: remote Doda students lack the specialised coaching available in urban centres. By bringing teachers from West Bengal and distributing free study material, the Army removes cost and access barriers for 60 selected students. The eight-week duration suggests a concentrated, last-mile preparation push rather than a long-term intervention. Brigadier Shinde's framing ties the initiative to opportunity inequality, not just educational outcomes. The next step is whether these 60 students clear the All India Sainik School Entrance Exam, which will determine if the model scales to other districts. ## Coverage - edexlive.com Leads with Army's initiative, frames as bridging gap for remote students This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Brigadier Vikrant Shinde, Doda, Indian Army, Sainik School Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/indian-army-starts-free-coaching-in-doda-for-sainik-school-exam/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/indian-army-starts-free-coaching-in-doda-for-sainik-school-exam/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/