Port Blair, May 8: The Director General of Military Training, General Staff Branch, Lt General Rajiv Bhalla, SM, VSM has informed the Lt Governor, A&N Islands that the issue regarding admission of school children from Nicobari community in Sainik School taken up by the Administration has been examined with the Sainik Schools Society which controls the Sainik Schools. The Sainik Schools Society has been requested to consider earmarking six vacancies for ST students from the Nicobari tribe at Sainik School, Amaravathingar, Tamil Nadu and Sainik School, Purulia, West Bengal.

The Lt Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh had written a letter to the Director General of Military Training on 24th April 2013, stating that presently two seats were earmarked for ST students from Nicobar group of Islands in Sainik School at Purulia, West Bengal. Referring the examples of Ms Regina Kiro and Ms Deborah, sportspersons from the Islands who have done extremely well in International and National level sports, the Lt Governor had stated that youth of the A&N Islands have immense potential and can do exceptionally well in all fields if given proper opportunities. In the absence of natural drivers of growth like agriculture and manufacture, potentials is limited to tourism, fisheries, small scale handicraft and IT sector.

Therefore, the Lt Governor suggested for earmarking at least six seats in Sainik Schools commencing this academic year itself which will be a great boost to the students of the Islands to excel in sports and get better employment opportunities.