The Annual Principals’ and Administrative Officers’ Conference of Rashtriya Military Schools (RMS) was held at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on September 15, bringing together senior military leadership, dignitaries and distinguished alumni to review the progress of the institutions and discuss best practices in military-oriented education.
The conference was chaired by Lieutenant General Vipul Shinghal, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and Training). Distinguished RMS alumni Shri Ashok Lavasa, IAS (Retd), and Lieutenant General SN Handa (Retd) attended the event as Guests of Honour.
The annual conference serves as an important institutional platform for the leadership of Rashtriya Military Schools to review developments across the RMS network and exchange experiences relating to academics, leadership, discipline and the overall development of cadets.
Discussions during the conference focused on strengthening institutional practices and sharing approaches aimed at supporting the academic and personal development of students. The emphasis on holistic cadet development reflects the RMS approach of combining formal education with character building, discipline and leadership development.
Rashtriya Military Schools occupy a distinctive position within India’s military-oriented education ecosystem. Their objective extends beyond academic instruction, with students being exposed to a structured environment intended to develop qualities such as discipline, responsibility, leadership and a spirit of service.
The participation of senior military leadership at the conference provided an opportunity to examine these institutional objectives and consider ways of strengthening their implementation across the schools.
A significant milestone during the 2026 conference was the institution of the Best RMS Trophy in honour of Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, PVC. The trophy is intended to recognise overall institutional excellence among Rashtriya Military Schools.
Captain GS Salaria is one of the most distinguished alumni associated with the military-school system. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration for acts of exceptional valour in the face of the enemy. Instituting an annual trophy in his honour links institutional excellence with the legacy of service and sacrifice associated with one of the RMS alumni.
The new trophy is designed to recognise overall excellence rather than focusing solely on academic performance. Its institution therefore places the emphasis on the broader objectives of military education, including academics, leadership, discipline and holistic cadet development.
The initiative also reinforces the ethos associated with Rashtriya Military Schools, where character formation and leadership development remain central elements of the educational environment.
The conference provided a platform for principals and administrative officers to share experiences and institutional practices. Such exchanges can help schools identify approaches that can be adapted across the RMS network while maintaining the distinctive character and objectives of each institution.
Academic performance remains an important component of the RMS system, but the conference’s broader agenda reflects an emphasis on developing well-rounded cadets. Leadership opportunities, discipline and structured activities are intended to complement classroom education and prepare students for responsibilities beyond their school years.
The presence of distinguished alumni also highlighted the long-term impact of the RMS system. Alumni have gone on to serve in the armed forces, civil administration and other professional fields, carrying forward the values developed during their years in military schools.
Shri Ashok Lavasa, IAS (Retd), represents the civil-service dimension of the RMS alumni community, while Lieutenant General SN Handa (Retd) represents the institution’s continuing connection with India’s military leadership. Their participation as Guests of Honour provided an opportunity for the current leadership of RMS institutions to engage with former students who subsequently served in senior public positions.
The conference at the Manekshaw Centre also underscored the relationship between education and nation building within the RMS framework. The schools seek to create an environment in which young cadets develop not only academic capabilities but also a sense of responsibility towards society and the country.
The institution of the Best RMS Trophy in honour of Captain GS Salaria, PVC, is expected to provide an additional institutional benchmark for excellence. By recognising overall performance, the award can serve as a means of encouraging schools to pursue balanced development across academics, discipline, leadership and other areas of cadet life.
The 2026 conference therefore combined institutional review with recognition of the heritage associated with the Rashtriya Military Schools. It brought together those responsible for administering and leading the institutions with senior military leadership and alumni who have contributed to public service.
The emphasis on best practices is also significant as military education continues to evolve. Schools preparing young students for competitive academic and professional pathways must balance traditional values with changing educational requirements and contemporary approaches to learning.
The RMS leadership’s focus on holistic cadet development reflects this broader requirement. Academic education provides the foundation, while leadership activities, discipline, physical development and character building contribute to the wider development of students.
The annual conference thus serves both as a review mechanism and as a platform for institutional learning. By bringing together principals and administrative officers from across the RMS system, it enables experiences and practices from individual schools to be discussed within a common framework.
The 2026 edition also added a new element to this institutional framework through the Best RMS Trophy. Named after a Param Vir Chakra awardee and RMS alumnus, the trophy connects present-day institutional performance with the heritage of military service associated with the schools.
The Annual Principals’ and Administrative Officers’ Conference 2026 ultimately reaffirmed the RMS emphasis on character building, discipline, leadership and nation building. With senior military leadership, distinguished alumni and school administrators coming together, the conference provided a platform to review the institutions’ progress while reinforcing their long-standing role in developing the next generation of responsible and disciplined citizens.
