Army Public Schools (APS) are chain of educational institutions under regional commands of Indian Army established for the purpose of providing education to the children of Indian armed forces personnel. With a nationwide presence spanning 137 schools, it is one of the largest chains of schools in India. The Army Welfare Education Society (AWES), which was founded in 1983, oversees the management of the APS system, and has established over 137 Army Public schools and 249 Army pre-primary schools across the country, as well as several institutions of higher education.
Since their inception, APSs have witnessed significant growth, with a student population of around 20,000 in 1987 expanding to a mammoth system with a current student strength of approximately 2.3 lakh and 8,500 teaching staff. On average, 5,000 students are added to the APS system every year.[1]
Overview
In general, the management of schools is overseen by the regional commands of the army, and the educational pattern followed is that of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Admission priority is given to children of army personnel. Additionally, each Army school is led by a chairman, who is a senior Indian Army officer holding the rank of brigadier, and a patron, who holds the rank of major general.[2]
Historical Background
The concept of Army Public Schools was initiated on January 15, 1980, when the Chief of Army Staff recognized the need for dedicated schools for army children. Initially, a few schools were established under various regional commands, but the system expanded rapidly. On April 29, 1983, the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) was formally registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 to oversee the administration and development of these institutions.
Administration and Oversight
Each Army Public School operates under the guidance of local formation commanders through School Administration and Management Committees (SAMC). The overall governance falls under AWES, with the Chief of Army Staff serving as the Patron-in-Chief, while Army Commanders act as regional Patrons. This hierarchical structure ensures strict discipline, efficiency, and high academic standards in APS institutions.
List of Army Public Schools of India (not all-inclusive)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
