AISSEE 2027 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Qualifying Class and Category Requirements

AISSEE 2027 eligibility requires students to be 10–12 years old for Class 6 and 13–15 years old for Class 9 as on 31 March 2027, with 15% seats reserved for SC, 7.5% for ST and 27% for OBC (Central List) students.

The All India Sainik Schools Entrance Exam (AISSEE) 2027 is expected to be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to Sainik Schools across India. Students seeking Class 6 or Class 9 admission must satisfy all eligibility conditions — age, qualifying class, nationality, gender and medical fitness — set by the Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence. The criteria below are based on previous year patterns and are expected to remain consistent for the 2027 cycle.

• Class 6 age limit (expected): Born between 01 April 2015 and 31 March 2017 (age 10–12 years as on 31 March 2027).
• Class 9 age limit (expected): Born between 01 April 2012 and 31 March 2014 (age 13–15 years as on 31 March 2027).
• Students must have passed or be appearing in Class 5 (for Class 6) or Class 8 (for Class 9) from a recognised school.
• Only Indian nationals are eligible; both boys and girls can apply (girls only to approved schools).
• Reservation: SC – 15%, ST – 7.5%, OBC Central List – 27%; approximately 25% for children of defence personnel (varies by school).

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AISSEE 2027 Eligibility Overview

The Sainik Schools Society sets the eligibility framework for all Sainik School admissions, and NTA conducts the exam on its behalf. AISSEE 2027 eligibility is expected to mirror past years across all parameters. Students must meet every condition simultaneously — a shortfall on any single criterion leads to rejection of the application. The table below gives a quick snapshot based on 2025 and 2026 patterns.

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Age Limit for Class 6 and Class 9

Age eligibility is the most strictly enforced condition in AISSEE. The Sainik Schools Society calculates age as on 31 March of the exam year. Students born even one day outside the permitted date-of-birth window are ineligible, and no relaxation is permitted unless specifically stated in the official AISSEE 2027 notification.

For Class 6 admission: Your date of birth must fall between 01 April 2015 and 31 March 2017, making you 10–12 years old as on 31 March 2027. This is based on AISSEE 2026 age criteria trends.

For Class 9 admission: Your date of birth must fall between 01 April 2012 and 31 March 2014, making you 13–15 years old as on 31 March 2027. This is based on AISSEE 2026 age criteria trends.

Age is reckoned as on 31 March 2027 for both classes. No age relaxation is granted for SC, ST, OBC or any other category — this is a hard cut-off. Confirm the exact dates in the official AISSEE 2027 brochure once released.

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Qualifying Class Requirement

Students must have completed — or be currently enrolled in — the class immediately preceding their target admission class. There is no minimum marks requirement in the qualifying class, but the school must be recognised by the state government or a central board.

• Class 6 admission: Passed or appearing in Class 5 in the 2026–27 academic year from a recognised school.
• Class 9 admission: Passed or appearing in Class 8 in the 2026–27 academic year from a recognised school.

Students appearing in Class 5 or Class 8 at the time of the AISSEE exam can apply provisionally. They must produce mark sheets and transfer certificates at admission. If a student fails the qualifying class, the provisional admission is cancelled.

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Category-Wise Eligibility and Reservations

AISSEE 2027 follows central government reservation norms. Seats in each Sainik School are distributed across general, SC, ST, OBC and defence categories. Students must apply under the correct category and carry valid certificates at the time of document verification.

A critical point for OBC students: only castes listed in the Central Government OBC list qualify for reservation in AISSEE. A state-level OBC certificate alone is not accepted. OBC students must also belong to the non-creamy layer — annual family income must be below the threshold set by the central government.

Children of serving and retired Armed Forces personnel are given priority within their respective categories. The exact school-wise seat matrix and the number of seats available in each category are published in the official AISSEE 2027 information brochure at the time of notification release.

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Other Eligibility Conditions

In addition to age, qualifying class and category, AISSEE 2027 students must also meet the following conditions:

• Nationality: Only Indian nationals are eligible. Students of Indian origin holding foreign citizenship are not eligible to apply.
• Gender: Both boys and girls may apply. Girls can seek admission only to Sainik Schools that have been officially approved to admit female students. The list of such schools is published in the AISSEE notification each year.
• Medical Fitness: Shortlisted students must clear a medical examination conducted by an authorised military medical board before final admission. Standards cover vision, hearing, height, weight and general physical health. Students with corrected vision may qualify subject to current Sainik Schools Society guidelines.
• Recognised School: The qualifying class must have been completed or be currently running at a school recognised by a state government or a central board (CBSE, ICSE or equivalent).
• No Re-Enrolment: Students already enrolled in any Sainik School are not eligible to appear for AISSEE 2027.