Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his opposition to the Indian government’s decision to privatize Sainik schools. In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Kharge demanded a complete rollback of the policy and the annulment of the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed in this regard. He highlighted that there are 33 Sainik schools in the country, which are fully government-funded institutions operated under the Sainik Schools Society, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence.
Concerns Over Partisan Politics and Ideological Influence
Kharge expressed deep concern over the central government’s deviation from the longstanding tradition of keeping the armed forces free from partisan politics within Indian democracy. He also mentioned the undermining of institutions by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in its efforts to push its ideology. Kharge emphasized the need to preserve the integrity and ethos of Armed Forces Schools by demanding the complete rollback of privatization policies and the annulment of related MoUs.
Allegations of Privatization and Political Affiliations
Kharge brought to President Murmu’s attention an investigative report based on a Right to Information (RTI) reply, which claimed that Sainik Schools are being privatized using a new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model introduced by the government. The report alleges that 62 percent of these schools are owned by leaders affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and RSS. Kharge criticized this move, labeling it as an attempt to politicize independent Sainik Schools, which serve as a crucial preparatory platform for sending cadets to prestigious institutions like the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy.
In 2021, the central government brazenly initiated the privatisation of Sainik Schools. As a result thereto, Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed for 40 out of the 100 new schools, based on this model, where the Union Government provides “an Annual Fee Support of 50% of fee (subject to an upper limit of Rs.40000/- per annum for 50% of the class strength (subject to an upper limit of 50 students) per year from Class 6 onwards till class 12, on Merit-cum-Means basis”. This in effect means, that for a school that has classes till 12th standard, SSS offers to provide support of maximum Rs 1.2 crore per annum, among other incentives.
Preservation of Sainik Schools’ Character and Vision
Sainik Schools, established by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru, in 1961, have long stood as pillars of military leadership and excellence. However, recent developments have raised concerns regarding the potential ideological indoctrination of armed forces at the entry level. Kharge questioned the motives behind the allocation of new Sainik Schools, suggesting a possible attempt to politicize these institutions. He emphasized the importance of preserving the desired character, vision, and honor required for the service of the nation in the children studying at Armed Forces Schools.
Government’s Response
The defense ministry has refuted the reports that the allocation of new Sainik Schools is based on political or ideological affiliations. The ministry stated that a rigorous selection process was followed to finalize the institutions to run the new Sainik Schools. It emphasized that the political or ideological affiliation of the applicant institution does not influence the selection process.
