NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that the government is committed to increasing the role of women in the Armed Forces, and that a number of steps have been taken in that direction, including allowing girls to enrol in Sainik Schools and granting women officers Permanent Commission. He expressed optimism that the move to open new Sainik schools will inspire young girls to pursue their goals of serving their country. "The establishment of 100 new Sainik schools would give girls the opportunity to join the Armed Forces and contribute to national security," Rajnath Singh said on Saturday while chairing a webinar. The announcement of the expansion of Sainik Schools, according to the minister, is one of many key measures taken by the government in the previous six and a half years to improve the quality of basic education for children and assure the country's holistic growth. In the future, he hopes that the fusion of 'Raksha' and 'Shiksha' in Sainik schools will play an essential role in nation-building. He explained that because 'Sainik' stands for unity, discipline, and devotion, and 'School' stands for education, Sainik schools play an important role in preparing children to be capable citizens. Rajnath Singh inaugurates Kalpana Chawla Centre for Research Chandigarh University Government's big decision, ban on import of 351 defense equipment Vice President urges making India self-reliant in all sectors