PASIGHAT, Mar 28: Education Minister Taba Tedir today visited the state’s lone Sainik School (Niglok) and inspected the progress of ongoing prefabricated structures consisting library, mess, girls hostel, two boys hostels, eight class rooms, twelve one BHK residential staff quarters and two detached toilet blocks constructed by the Engineering Wing of the state’s education department. The Minister also inspected the academic, administrative and hostel blocks being constructed in full swing by the Public Works Department to complete the project at the earliest as the fifth batch of Class-VI is waiting to join the school. 

Tedir was accompanied by the Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering, Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu, Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar Jha, Sainik School Principal Commander Praveen Kumar Pola and host of officers and engineers.

During the inspection the Minister stated that no stone would be left unturned in providing infrastructure support for smooth running of the school adding that in return the school has to show its mettle for sending highest percentage of cadets from the school to the National Defence Academy in days to come. He complimented the school Principal for his outstanding performance and also appreciated the constructing agencies for quality works. Later, the Minister interacted with the cadets. He informed the cadets that despite being a zero revenue state, the government is providing an annual scholarship of Rs 95,535.00 to every APST cadet irrespective of their parental income and asked the cadets to work hard to excel in life and bring laurels to the state. With a detailed power point presentation, Principal Commander Praveen Kumar Pola briefed the Minister about the aim and concept of Sainik Schools and various academic, training and co-curricular activities undertaken at the school for overall development of cadets including recently initiated NCC training for Class IX cadets. Further the Principal informed about the grants and assistance provided by the state to the school and thanked all stakeholders including the District Administration for their time to time support and assistance to the school. 

The Principal informed that from 8th August 2018 to 24th February 2022, the state has credited Rs 9,50,00,000 to the school account as annual Grant-in-Aid for FY 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. 

Pola also informed that from Indian Armed Forces one officer from Indian Navy, one JCO and two NCOs from Indian Army are posted as Principal, NCC and PT Instructors and they are imparting respective service training to the cadets to align them to military bearing. Presently 243 cadets including 10 girls are on the rolls, and 120 cadets of Class VIII and IX are physically at school and remaining 124 cadets of Class VI and VII are at home as their hostels are coming up. From the academic year 2022-23 the cadet strength will be 303 including 20 girls. 

The Minister despite hectic schedule took out time to visit Arunachal Pradesh University Academic Block construction site, Apex Professional University (APU) and 5th IRBn Welfare School early this morning. At APU, expressing his dissatisfaction over the present status, he directed the officials to improve required infrastructure so that more students from Arunachal Pradesh and other neighboring states could take admission in the university, for higher studies. He also informed that he would hold a meeting with the authorities of the private universities of the state shortly at Itanagar so that state’s universities Act/guidelines are properly implemented.