Union Budget 2021: 100 new Sainik schools, central university for Ladakh cheer students’ community

Indian Union Budget 2021-22: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a cheering announcement in her budget speech said that the government aims to establish 100 new Sainik schools in the country to boost quality education. As part of hand-holding the newly formed Union Territory of Ladakh, the government has announced that a new central university will be established in the Ladakh capital Leh soon to impart quality education to the residents of Ladakh.

The Finance Minister mentioned that the Sainik schools will be established in close collaboration and partnership with various Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), private schools and the state government. Sitharaman while announcing the first budget of the decade also mentioned that the government is in the process of setting up the Higher Education Commission of India and a bring a legislation to that effect this year.

Sainik Schools are known for imparting disciplined and high quality education to the students in different parts of the country. Primarily modelled to train students for the armed forces, the students who complete their education from these schools succeed in large numbers in various armed force recruitment tests like NDA, CDS and AFCAT. Besides the students who opt for a career in the armed forces, a large number of students from the Sainik schools top other competitive examinations like IIT-JEE, NEET etcetera.

Sainik schools are one of the best government run schools in the country in addition to Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas which are directly funded by the central government. In contrast to the below par education quality in a large number of state government run schools, the Sainik schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodayas have stood out for imparting quality education to the students in the country at an economical fee.

While announcing the decision to open a new central university in Leh, FM Sitharaman said that the government is proposing a new university in Ladakh to make higher education more accessible for the residents of the area. The move will benefit the students from Ladakh who are forced to shift to far flung cities like Delhi and Chandigarh to complete their higher education. The move also has the potential to increase the participation of Ladakhi students into the higher education courses.