Chandigarh, Feb. 16 -- Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to Union defence minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, where he discussed the establishment of a Sainik School in Chandigarh. The governor stated that establishing a Sainik School would significantly contribute to strengthening discipline, leadership qualities and the spirit of national service among the youth, an official release said. Currently, the country has a total of 33 Sainik Schools, which are managed by the Sainik School Society (SSS) under the defence ministry. Last year, the UT education department had submitted an online application to the SSS with the proposal to convert Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS) in Sector 23 into city's first Sainik School. The defence ministry is currently evaluating applications received from across the country for new Sainik Schools. Approval letters will be issued to selected proposals afterscrutiny. In Chandigarh, an evaluation committee visited GMSSS-23 on November 21, 2025. The panel comprised deputy commissioner (chairman), the principal of Sainik School, Kunjpura, Haryana, and principal of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. The team assessed infrastructure, academic readiness, mess and kitchen facilities, and administrative preparedness. During the Sunday meeting, the two leaders also held an in-depth discussion on tightening vigil along the border areas, particularly to check the smuggling of narcotics and weapons through drones....