Sainik Schools are specialized schools functioning under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which is managed by the Sainik Schools Society. The system of Sainik Schools was established in 1961 by V.K.Krishna Menon, then Defence Minister of India to ensure uniformity of classes within Indian Military’s Office Cadre. The aim was to impart the mental and physical training to the students to get admission into National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA). According to the 2021 figures, there are around 33 Sainik Schools prevalent in the country and MoD is working on establishing 100 additional schools in a boarding setup which is based on the Public-private partnership mode (PPP).
Education and Curriculum
The Sainik Schools follow intense curriculum with CBSE affiliation, New Delhi. The education and training prepares the boys with a holistic development so they are highly competent for NDA. The learning hours include coaching for the class X and Class XII board examinations and also provide mentoring and teaching for the UPSC examination for NDA. The mode of instruction for teaching is generally English however, English is not an imperative eligibility or requirement for admission. Also, one very important point to remember is that Sainik Schools prefer only Science stream for Class XII or equivalent.
Alongside, the academic supremacy, the students are inspired to inculcate creativity and communication skills by involving them in co-curriular activities and social work. The students are exposed to all key games and given a mandatory NCC training till grade 11. The training at Sainik Schools also includes adventure activities. The infrastructure of the school varies but generally has a huge playground to support all the intense training and build a conducive atmosphere for the boys.
Admission Process and Eligibility
The admission process at Sainik Schools involves clearing an entrance examination, after which there is a one-on-one interview followed by medical examination. The admission process for boys for grade 6 and grade 11 with entrance tests where selection process happens based on the merit in the entrance test and personal interview round. For grade 11, the examination marks of grade 10 also play an important role. For girls, the admission process is for class 6 over all the Sainik Schools.
The pattern of entrance tests for class 6 is tabulated as follows:
| Topic or Subject | Questions | Marks |
| Mathematics | 50 questions (3M each) | 150 |
| GK (General Science and Social Studies) | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| Language | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| Intelligence Quotient | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| 300 |
The pattern of entrance tests for class 11 is tabulated as follows:
| Topic or Subject | Questions | Marks |
| Mathematics | 50 questions (4 M each) | 200 |
| Intelligence Quotient | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| English | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| General Science | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| Social Studies | 25 questions (2M each) | 50 |
| 400 |
For admissions to Sainik Schools, age eligibility is also an important parameter. Both the boys and girls applying for Grade 6 should have their age between 10-12 years as of March 31 of the year of admission. For class 11, the boys applying for admissions should be under the 13-15 age group as of March 31 of the year of admission. Girls cannot apply for admissions to class 11 in Sainik Schools.