REVERED: The Military School Belgaum and the Principal, Lt. Col. Sudhanshu Arya (inset)

Belgaum: A festive atmosphere imbued with a deep sense of responsibility prevails at the Military School Belgaum (BSM), which is all set to celebrate its "diamond jubilee" from December 8 to 10.

In its 60 years, the institution has provided quality education to the wards of Defence personnel and civilians alike. It has gifted to the nation more than 350 armed forces officers and outstanding military leaders. The MSB occupies a place of pride among the five "mil schools" in the country.

Students of the school have excelled in all walks of life and hold eminent positions in diverse fields. They have left an indelible mark on politics, policy making and its implementation in Karnataka. The names that come to mind immediately are those of Cooperation Minister R.V. Deshpande; former Chief Secretary B.S. Patil, and former Director General of Police S.N. Borkar.

Founded on December 30, 1945 in the sprawling and salubrious environment of Belgaum in the then Bombay Province as King George VI Royal Indian Military College, MSB became the fourth such institution set up in the country after those in Jhelum (now in Pakistan), Jalandhar and Ajmer. Banglore got its own mil school a little later, in May 1946.

The schools in Belgaum and Banglore were intended to provide a fair representation for south Indian youth in the armed forces.

Initially, admissions to these schools were restricted to sons of JCOs and other ranks of the Army and their equivalent ranks in the Navy and Air Force. The students were prepared for the Army Special Certificate Educational Examination. The Instructional Staff was drawn exclusively from the Army Educational Corps. It was incumbent upon the students to join the services after finishing school.

On Republic Day 1950, the school was renamed King George's Military College. In July 1952, it was reorganised along the lines of residential public schools. Admissions were thrown open to sons of service officers as well as civilians.

The students switched over to the senior Cambridge Certificate Examination and the condition that all of them should join the services was dropped. Simultaneously, the school was renamed King George's School.

In 1963, the school was affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, and the students switched over to the Higher Secondary Examination conducted by the board. On January 1, 1966, the school was renamed "Belgaum Military School Belgaum". In January 1998, the prefix `Belgaum' was dropped and the school was renamed "Military School Belgaum".

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