Panel renews push for EWS fee relief, scholarships in Sainik Schools

The Story in Brief

A parliamentary standing committee on defence has reiterated its call for fee subsidies for economically weaker students and special scholarships for girl cadets at Sainik Schools, after the defence ministry failed to reply to several proposals. The committee, in its report tabled in Parliament on Friday, noted that the ministry had not furnished any comment on extending tuition fee reimbursement for NDA-bound cadets from Classes 9 to 12, introducing a special scholarship for girls, or increasing the Centre's share in existing schemes. It also renewed its push for EWS fee exemptions under the Sainik Schools Society Rules, 1997.

The panel welcomed progress in setting up 100 new Sainik Schools under the PPP model, with 80 schools now signed up and 58 operational. But it flagged that the ministry has not responded to its recommendation for more all-girls Sainik Schools. The committee has asked for a dedicated mechanism to clear pending applications and a plan to ensure at least one Sainik School in every state and Union Territory. There are currently 91 operational Sainik Schools across India.