Introduction
Objective: Sainik schools are run by a society named “SSS” (Sainik School Society). SSS is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Sainik schools are English-medium residential schools affiliated to the CBSE. Sainik schools prepare cadets academically, physically, and mentally to join the NDA, the Navy, and other training academies for officers.
History: The first Sainik school was started in 1961. At that time, the main goal of opening this institute was to give quality education with discipline and leadership qualities to children who were willing to join the Indian Defence forces.
Importance of Sainik school: These schools help students gain confidence, Physical fitness, and leadership skills.
List of Sainik Schools: There are a total of 33 Sainik Schools in India that operate under the Ministry of Defence.
Admission Process
Eligibility: Students can apply for classes 6th and 9th. For admission in class 6th, the age should be between 10-12 years, and for class 9th, the age should be between 13-15 years.
Admission Process: For admission in Sainik School, first, students must clear AISSEE (All India Sainik School Entrance Exam), which is an objective-based exam. After clearing this exam, students have to pass a medical test, and then they are selected for Sainik School by the final merit list. Seats are reserved for state students, Defence, General, OBC, SC, and ST as per government rules.
Important Dates: Exams are held 1 time a year (January), and the application filing process is between October and November. The next exam will be conducted on 18 January 2026. Results come out in February and March.
Exam
Exam pattern: AISSEE exam is offline and it is OMR-based. For class 6th, 125 objective questions of 300 marks, and for class 9th, 150 objective questions of 400 marks. No Negative marking for wrong answers. Exams are conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency)
Syllabus: for class 6th, total 4 subjects as language, Math, Intelligence and general knowledge. For class 9th, a total of 5 subjects are English, Math, Intelligence, General Science and Social Science. Each subject carries its own weightage.
Marking: Let’s understand each subject’s marking system.
For Class 6th
For Class 9th
Duration of Examination
Exam for admission to Class VI: 150 minutes
Exam for admission to Class IX: 180 minutes
Qualifying Criteria: A candidate is eligible for admission to the Sainik Schools if he/she secured a minimum of 25% marks in each subject of the exam and 40% marks in all subjects combined.
Selection Process
OMR-Based Exam: Candidates need to attend an Offline OMR-based exam, where there are Objective questions, each question has 4 options, and candidates have to choose 1 correct answer to qualify.
Medical: After the exam, shortlisted students go through a full medical checkup. In this test board, check the candidate’s Height, Weight, and Vision as per the standards. Flat feet or weak eyesight may lead to rejection.
Final Merit List: After this, a final merit list was released, and candidates were selected for the Sainik School.
Career
Students join NDA (National Defence Academy), Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy, Civil Services and many sectors.
