Sainik School Eligibility and Age Criteria, Explained Simply

Entry points

Sainik Schools admit students at two levels only: Class VI and Class IX. There is no lateral entry into other classes.

Age criteria

For Class VI, the candidate must be 10 to 12 years old as on 31 March of the year of admission. For Class IX, the candidate must be 13 to 15 years old as on the same date.

Reservation

Seats are broadly divided between home-state and other-state candidates, with reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and a proportion of seats reserved for children of serving defence personnel and ex-servicemen. The exact split is published in the prospectus each year.

Girls in Sainik Schools

Sainik Schools began admitting girls from the 2021-22 academic session, and girl cadets now appear for AISSEE on the same basis as boys.

Medical fitness

Qualifying the written exam is not the end of the process. Candidates must also meet the medical standards laid down for admission, which cover vision, hearing and general physical fitness. It is worth getting an early check-up so that any correctable issue is addressed in good time.