At the recent meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about the alleged growing involvement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Sainik Schools
He alleged that the RSS was becoming "unnecessarily" involved in the running of Sainik Schools. Committee chairman Radha Mohan Singh asked him to provide documents supporting the allegation, according to reports. The committee also discussed obtaining a list of organisations that have been allotted Sainik Schools under the partnership model and examining their links. For decades, the institutions were largely government-run. Since 2021, the Centre has opened the system to private schools, NGOs and state government schools.
What are Sainik Schools?
The Sainik School system was established in 1961, with the first five schools opened that year. The original objective was to provide quality residential education while preparing students academically, physically and mentally for entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA) and other officer-training institutions.
The schools were also intended to address the regional and socioeconomic imbalance in the military officer cadre by making military-oriented public school education accessible to children beyond the traditional urban and affluent base of such institutions.
The traditional Sainik Schools are run by the Sainik Schools Society, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Defence. They are English-medium residential schools affiliated with the CBSE. The NTA conducts the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE) for admissions.
The original network eventually grew to 33 Sainik Schools across the country.
The 2021 shift
In 2021, the Union government decided to establish 100 new Sainik Schools through partnerships.
The Cabinet approved the affiliation of government and private schools with the Sainik Schools Society. Unlike the original 33 schools, these institutions would remain separate from the existing government-run Sainik Schools but would operate under the aegis of the Sainik Schools Society. The first phase was designed to include schools run by state governments, private organisations and NGOs.
The government said the partnership model would allow Sainik School education to reach more students without requiring the Centre to build and operate every new campus itself.
The scheme was also presented as a way of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with emphasis on value-based education, leadership, discipline, patriotism and broader physical and mental development.
How does the partnership model work?
These are often described as PPP Sainik Schools, although the government's official terminology is generally "New Sainik Schools in partnership mode."
The partner institution remains responsible for much of the infrastructure and day-to-day requirements. The Ministry of Defence provides the Sainik School framework and oversight through the Sainik Schools Society.
The government approved financial support on a merit-cum-means basis, covering up to 50% of the fee, subject to a ceiling of Rs 40,000 per student per year, for up to 50% of the class strength, subject to a maximum of 50 students per class.
The schools must meet prescribed requirements covering land, infrastructure, academic and administrative staff and affiliation with an education board. The criteria include adequate land for academic and residential facilities, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, sports facilities and residential infrastructure.
The partner schools continue to follow their regular board curriculum but also provide the "Academic-Plus" curriculum prescribed under the Sainik School framework.
How many new schools have been approved?
The original target was 100 new schools.
By May 2025, the Ministry of Defence said it had approved 86 private, NGO and state-government schools under the initiative. A fourth round of applications was opened in May-June 2025 to take the programme towards its original target.
The expansion has therefore gone well beyond the original 33-school network.
Why has the model attracted criticism?
The central controversy is not about the idea of Sainik Schools themselves. It concerns who is being allowed to run the new partner schools.
In April 2024, an investigation by The Reporters' Collective, based on government information obtained through RTI, examined 40 schools that had signed agreements under the partnership model. It reported that 62% were linked to the RSS and its affiliates, BJP politicians, political allies or other Hindu organisations.
The Ministry of Defence rejected the report's allegations as based on "unfounded" insinuations. It maintained that the selection process was rigorous and that the government did not assess the political or ideological affiliations of the organisations running the schools.
That distinction is important. The reported affiliations are not the same as a finding that these organisations are illegally influencing the curriculum or running the schools for political purposes. The current parliamentary discussion is examining the issue rather than establishing such a finding.
What is the government's position?
The Centre has consistently defended the partnership model as an expansion of educational access.
The Ministry of Defence says the initiative allows more children across the country to receive Sainik School-style education, while reducing the infrastructure and operational burden on the government.
It has also said the new schools must follow the rules of the Sainik Schools Society and provide the prescribed Academic-Plus curriculum alongside their regular board curriculum.
In a 2024 response to criticism over the selection of partner organisations, the Defence Ministry also stressed that the process was based on prescribed eligibility and selection criteria rather than political affiliation.
What is different about the new schools?
The distinction between the original Sainik Schools and the new partnership schools is central to the debate.
Admission through AISSEE
Admission to the new schools is through the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The examination is held for entry to Classes VI and IX, and the 2026 examination covered admissions to both the existing Sainik Schools and New Sainik Schools. Students admitted to their Sainik School streams enter through the centralised admission system and are brought under the Sainik Schools Society's framework. The schools continue to operate under their respective education boards while adding the prescribed Academic-Plus component.
