Sainik School Ghorakhal is one of the 33 Sainik Schools, established by the Sainik Schools Society [2] in 1962, at Ghorakhal, 16 km away from Nainital in Uttarakhand, India at an altitude of approximately 6000ft or 1800 metres. The school's aim is to prepare its students (often called Cadets) for entry to the famous National Defence Academy (India) where they get further prepared for becoming officers in the Indian Defence Forces.
The Ghorakhal estate was presented to General Wheeler [3] in 1870 by the British Rulers. In 1921, then Nawab of Rampur, Maj Gen, His Highness, Alijah, Amirul Umrah, Nawab, Sir Syed Mohammed Hamid Ali, Khan Bahadur, purchased this Estate Rampur State. After the abolition of the privy purses in post Independent India, the State Government (then Uttar Pradesh) purchased the Estate from the Nawab of Rampur in March 1964 and later Sainik School Ghorakhal was established on 21 March 1966. [4]
Etymology, Culture, Related Literature
There are several stories about the name 'Ghorakhal'. One of them, often cited by the alumni and staff relates to the events in 1857 when a British General in a desperate bid to escape the revolutionaries of Awadh, strayed into this area and his horse while drinking water from nearby pond died, therefore the name Ghora (Horse) Khal (pond).
Another one says that it was a place where a special kind of mules called Ghoras used to come for a drink of water. Khal is a place surrounded on two sides by water stream. Hence, the name Ghorakhal.
It is also known that the alumni lovingly call each others "ghoras". There was a semi-fictional account titled 'Half Ticket Ghoras' [5] of life at this institution written by its alumni Abir Anand.
Background and Legacy
Sainik School Ghorakhal is a residential military school providing public school education aimed at preparing boys and girls for entry to officer cadre of Indian Defence Forces mainly through the National Defence Academy (India).
Typically, these institutions celebrate their 25th, 50th, 75th year with lots of festivities. Alumni usually congregate in large numbers to celebrate such occasions.
Sainik School Ghorakhal celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2016. [6] and is scheduled to observe its 60th raising day in 2025.
Campus
The Sainik School campus is located away from hustle & bustle of the city life on an area of about 500 acre, 4 km from Bhowali and 16 km from Nainital. Sainik School Ghorakhal is well connected with the different parts of the country both by Rail & Road. The school is 40 km from Kathgodam Railway Station. The school has a helipad of its own, not available to public or students or staff and mostly used for defence helicopters to land.
Helipad (not available to school residents or private public)
Ghorakhal Tea Garden and Factory (on leased land by School) [9]
Student Community
The students get assigned to houses. The houses can be a senior house or a holding house. So, a student can be an inmate of a holding house while belonging to a senior house. This student will participate in all the competitions on behalf of the senior house but will live in the holding house. Eventually, as the students become seniors, they move into the senior houses.
Each house has a House Master (typically a teacher) and a Hostel Superintendent (typically a non-teacher) who is given family residence attached to the student hostel.
The Sainik School Ghorakhal official website states that there are following houses. [10]
Senior / Holding Houses and their colours
SINGH HOUSE
KUMAON HOUSE
KESARI HOUSE
SHIWALIK HOUSE
Junior / Holding Houses
ABHIMANYU HOUSE
BHARAT HOUSE
LUV HOUSE
KUSH HOUSE
DHRUV HOUSE
BACHENDRI HOUSE
Affiliation and Syllabus
Sainik School Ghorakhal website states that it is affiliated to CBSE Board and follows the CBSE Board recommended syllabus. [11] As per SARAS 6.0 (School Affiliation Re-Engineered Automation System), [12], (Affiliation No: 3580002, School No: 84013)[13]
Extracurricular activities
Clubs for the students include English, Hindi, Literary & Editorial club, Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology, Computers, Geography, Social Service, Library, Art, Craft, Dramatics & music, Astronomy, Photography, Nature Study, Yoga etc.
Vacations
Cadets are provided with 70 days official vacations.
Admission and Eligibility
Admission
A competitive All India Sainik Schools Entrance Exam is held annually, usually in February. Boys and girls who qualify as per merit and reservation quotas are admitted to Grades Sixth and Ninth. Majority strength of the grade is admitted to grade Sixth and only a few students join in the Ninth grade.
Eligibility
Students seeking admission in Class VI should be 10-12 yrs of age as on 31 March in the year admission is being sought. Students seeking admission for Class IX should be aged 13-15 yrs as on 31 March in the year admission is being sought. [14]
Reservation/Quota in admission
Almost 63% seats are reserved in some quota or other, leaving only 37% seats for the general category candidates. This is true for all Sainik Schools and is mentioned on the websites of multiple Sainik Schools.[15][16][17]
Mechanics
# There are two pools of candidates:
home state/Union Territory
other states / Union Territorries.
The below quotas are applied independently in each of the pools:
Scheduled Castes (SC): 15% +
Scheduled Tribes (ST): 7.5% +
Other Backward Classes – Non Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL): 27% +
Defence quota 1/4th of the remaining (100%-15%-7.5%-27% = 50.5%) 12.625%
= Total Social Reservation: 15% + 7.5% + 27% + 12.625% = 62.125% = Total unreserved seats for general category = 37.875% Note: Further, 10% or 10 (whichever is greater) seats in each category are reserved for girls, reducing seats for general category boys.
Scholarship
The State Government awards few scholarships on merit-cum-means basis. In the case of those getting a full scholarship, fees in full, together with clothing and money are paid by the Government. However, the parents' income criteria are very stringent and very few people actually qualify for those slabs. For many students, particularly from other states, there is no scholarship available. Ministry of defence provides scholarship to the wards of serving/ retired JCOs and NCOs. In addition to it, all the cadets are also provided Central assistance
Management
The Sainik Schools are managed by a Society named Sainik School Society which is registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1860). A Board of Governors that functions under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister, is the Chief Executive Body of the Sainik Schools Society. The Board of Governors meets at least once a year. The school has a Local Board of Administration for overseeing the functioning of the school and its finances.
The Chief Minister or the Education Minister of the state are among the members of the Board of Governors. An officer of the Ministry of Defence is nominated to supervise and co-ordinate the functioning of the school and functions as the Honorary Secretary of the Sainik Schools Society. The Honorary Secretary is assisted by officers and staff of the Ministry of Defence. This includes two inspecting officers of the rank of Colonel or equivalent.
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