NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has commenced the registration process for students seeking admission to Sainik Schools for Classes 6 and 9.
Candidates must submit their applications by October 30, 2025, and ensure the examination fee is paid by October 31.
The entrance exam is scheduled to be held in January 2026 and will be conducted in a pen-and-paper mode.
Students have been advised to thoroughly review the eligibility criteria before applying to avoid any errors or disqualification during the admission process.
Candidates seeking admission to Sainik Schools can apply online through the official NTA website at exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society.
A correction window will open from November 2 to November 4, 2025, allowing applicants to make the necessary changes to their submitted application forms, said a notification.
To view the detailed notification, click here.
Eligibility criteria
Students applying for Class 6 must be between 10 and 12 years old as of March 31, 2026. Those seeking admission to Class 9 must be aged between 13 and 15 years on the same date.
Students need to pay Rs 850 if they belong to the General /OBC/Defence/Ex-servicemen categories, and Rs 700 for SC/ST categories.
Exam structure
AISSEE 2026 will be conducted in pen-and-paper mode using OMR sheets across 190 cities in India.
For Class 6 admissions, the exam will span 150 minutes and be offered in 13 languages, including English and Hindi.
It will have 125 multiple-choice questions totalling 300 marks: 25 questions in Language (50 marks), 50 in Mathematics (150 marks), 25 in Intelligence (50 marks), and 25 in General Knowledge (50 marks).
For Class 9, the exam will be held in English and will last 180 minutes. It will comprise 150 multiple-choice questions carrying a total of 400 marks.
The subject-wise breakdown includes: Mathematics – 50 questions (200 marks), English – 25 questions (50 marks), Intelligence – 25 questions (50 marks), General Science – 25 questions (50 marks), and Social Science – 25 questions (50 marks).
To be eligible for admission to Sainik Schools, students must secure at least 25 per cent marks in each section of the entrance exam and achieve a minimum overall score of 40 per cent.
However, this qualifying criterion does not apply to candidates belonging to the SC and ST categories, who are exempt from the minimum score requirement.
To download the information bulletin for the Sainik School admissions, click here.
How to apply For Sainik School Admissions 2026?
Step 1: Visit the official website, exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society.
Step 2: On the homepage, click on ‘Registration For AISSEE-2026 Examination’.
Step 3: A new link will open; click on new registration or login.
Step 4: For first time registration, fill the application form and pay the fees.
For direct link to register for the Sainik School entrance test, click here.
AISSEE 2026 will serve as the gateway for admissions to Classes 6 and 9 in 33 established Sainik Schools across India. In addition to these, the exam will also facilitate entry into Class 6 in all 69 newly approved Sainik Schools.
Furthermore, 19 of these new institutions have been granted eligibility to admit students to Class 9 for the 2026–27 academic session.
The results for AISSEE 2026 are anticipated to be released approximately four to six weeks after the examination. Important dates related to downloading admit cards, details of exam cities, and result announcements will be available on the websites exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society.