The Sainik School at Korukonda, Andhra Pradesh, has become the first to admit girl cadets.

All 33 Sainik Schools have started admitting girls w.e.f. academic session 2021-22. Admission of girl cadets was started on a pilot basis in Sainik School Chhingchhip, in Mizoram, during the Academic Year 2018-19, as per the policy promulgated by Sainik Schools Society. After the success of this pilot project, all Sainik Schools are now open for admission of girls upto 10% of vacancies in Class VI or 10 girls, whichever is higher. For 2021-22, 320 girl students were admitted to Class VI in 33 Sainik Schools across the country.

As part of its ‘welcome’ to the first batch of girl cadets, the Sainik School at Korukonda (in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh) – the first off the block to begin admitting girls regularly - is allocating a separate hostel block and recruiting a female matron, physical training (PT) instructor, nursing assistant and an ‘ayah’. To start with, 10 seats would be allocated to girl students out of a total intake of 80 students in class VI.

Korukonda Sainik School principal Colonel Arun Kulkarni welcomed the move. “Our major objective is to prepare the cadets to become future officers. This initiative would consequently enable the girls to aspire for a career in the armed forces. This is the best step we could have taken to open more avenues for girls in defence services.” he told STOI. It is expected that the intake of girls from Sainik Schools would act as a feeder for the National Defence Academy to have more girl cadets as well.