Sainik School Eligibility: Age Limits, Girls’ Admission and Reserved Seats
For Class 6, a child must be 10 to 12 years old on 31 March of the admission year; for Class 9, 13 to 15 years old and passed Class 8 by the time of admission. Girls can apply for Class 6, and for Class 9 where seats are available. Most seats in each school go to children of its own state.
Age and class at a glance
| Admission to | Age on 31 March of the admission year | Class rule | Girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 6 | 10 to 12 years | Studying in Class 5 when applying | Eligible |
| Class 9 | 13 to 15 years | Passed Class 8 from a recognised school by admission | Eligible where seats are available |
Age limits, rules and dates can change every year. Always confirm them in the current information bulletin on the NTA AISSEE website before applying.
How are seats shared between states?
In the established Sainik Schools, about two-thirds of the seats (67%) are for children whose home state or union territory is the one where the school is located. The remaining third (33%) is open to children from other states and union territories. That is why the school you choose on the form matters as much as your marks.
Which seats are reserved?
Within the home-state and other-state seats, recent bulletins reserve seats for the following groups. Each school applies these within its own seats.
- Scheduled Castes: 15%
- Scheduled Tribes: 7.5%
- Other Backward Classes (non-creamy layer, central list): 27%
- Children of serving and ex-servicemen (defence personnel): 25%
What about the new Sainik Schools?
New Sainik Schools run in partnership with states, private schools and NGOs follow their own seat rules: a share of their Class 6 seats is filled from the AISSEE merit list, and the rest from students already studying there. The current bulletin lists each school and its rules.
Before you apply
- Check the child’s date of birth against the range in the current bulletin.
- Choose the schools carefully: home-state seats are the larger share.
- Keep the category, domicile and defence-service certificates ready if you will claim a reserved seat.
- Start Mathematics practice early: it carries half the marks in the Class 6 paper.
Practise with timed mock tests
Every test shows the correct answers with simple explanations and tracks progress topic by topic.
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