Sambalpur: A Sainik School in this district which is second in the state has become functional with the start of online classes for students in this educational session, a report said.
The school having its campus at Basantpur in Chipilima became functional after construction of classrooms, administrative building, playground, gymnasium, Yoga Centre and staff quarters were completed. This was stated here by Principal Sovit Bhattacharya to this correspondent, Monday.
The school has facilities for co-education and girls can take admission in the school from the next education session, he said. Over 10 per cent of the total seats will be reserved for girl students and of that 10 per cent, 67 per cent of the seats will be reserved for the girl students of the state.
The school will also have 26 per cent reservation for other backward castes (OBCs) students, 16 per cent for scheduled castes and 7.5 per cent for scheduled tribe students.
The school is managing with online classes due to Covid-19 restrictions while all staff members have joined their duty. For this year, admission was conducted into Class-VI only which received saw enrollment of 101 students.
Apart from classroom teachings, the students will also be trained in swimming, horse riding, rifle shooting, various games, debate and drawing.
Notably, the state had only one Sainik School at VSS Nagar in Bhubaneswar. Earlier, the government had announced for establishment of another Sainik School in the state in Sambalpur. However, the establishment of the school failed to take off as there were several bottlenecks.
It was then decided to start the school temporarily in the office premises of Fishery and Animal Husbandry department in Chipilima. However, the Sainik School authorities visited the area and refused to start the school temporarily unless a permanent campus.
Later, on the direction of the state government, the district administration identified 105 acre of land at Basantpur for the purpose. The Works department floated a tender and constructed the school building and other facilities at an expenditure of Rs 48 crore in the first phase.
PNN