Bhubaneswar, Aug. 24: The state government has decided to give a cash award of Rs 2 lakh to each student who qualifies for admission to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy from Odisha.

The step is aimed to encourage more students to opt for a career in defence.

The Odisha government yesterday informed about this to the school authorities in the state.

S. Nayak, public relation officer for Sainik School, said: "It's a welcome move by the state government. It will encourage more and more students to join the armed forces."

Nayak said: "We encourage students to pursue a career in the defence. Besides, our motto is to build a strong moral character in students and make them disciplined and law-abiding citizens."

Nayak said nearly 39 students of the school had cleared the National Defence Academy examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, this year and the school was hopeful that at least one third of them would get into defence services.

A state government official said: "The cash award would be given to only those students who qualify for the NDA and the Indian Naval Academy. It will not be confined to the students of the Sainik School only. The students studying in other schools can also get the award if they succeed in cracking the examination."

Satyajit Mohanty, former student of the Sainik School, said: "We all are proud of our school. We will be happy to see if more students from our school join the defence services. I proud that one of my brothers, a students of Sainik School, is now a Major serving in the Indian Army and is posted on the northern frontier."

He further said: "If more students join the Indian Army, our demand for a Kalinga regiment will get the required momentum."

"Though a number of Odias are working in the army, but we have no regiment like Bihar or Sikh. Odias are serving the nation by being a part of other regiments," Mohanty said.