Sainik School Registrations 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun the registration process for students seeking admission into Sainik Schools for Classes 6 and 9. Interested candidates must complete their application 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 format. Students are advised to thoroughly review the eligibility criteria before applying to avoid any errors or disqualification during the admission process. Where to apply? Candidates seeking admission to Sainik Schools can apply online through the official NTA website at exams.nta.nic.in Additionally, a correction window will be open from November 2 to November 4, 2025, allowing applicants to make necessary changes to their submitted forms. Eligibility & application fees For admission to Sainik Schools in the academic year 2026, students applying for Class 6 must be between 10 and 12 years old as of March 31, 2026. Similarly, those seeking admission to Class IX must be aged between 13 and 15 years on the same date. Interested students will have 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, distributed as follows: 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). Passing criteria 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 Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories, who are exempt from the minimum score requirement. 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 made available on the official NTA websites — nta.ac.in and exams.nta.nic.in Candidates are advised to regularly check these portals.
