StudyDesk
AISSEE 2027: the gateway into Sainik Schools
AISSEE — the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination — is the national written test for admission to Sainik Schools, run by the National Testing Agency on behalf of the Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence. Admission is to Class 6 and Class 9 for the 2027-28 academic session. Sainik Schools are fully residential, CBSE-affiliated schools run on a military ethos, and AISSEE is the only route in.
The exam itself is an offline, pen-and-paper, OMR-based test of multiple-choice questions, with no negative marking — a fact that should shape how every candidate approaches the paper. It is offered in English, Hindi and the regional language of the selected Sainik School.
Who can apply
Class 6. The candidate should be 10 to 12 years old as on 31 March 2027 — in practice, born between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2017. The child must be studying in Class 5 at the time of the exam and must have passed Class 5 at the time of admission. Both boys and girls are eligible for Class 6.
Class 9. The candidate should be 13 to 15 years old as on 31 March 2027 — born between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2014. The student must be studying in Class 8 at the time of the exam and pass Class 8 for admission. Only boys are listed as eligible for Class 9 by several current listings; girls' admission to Class 9 in recent cycles was limited to select schools, so girl candidates for Class 9 must check the 2027 bulletin for the school-wise position before applying.
Only Indian citizens are eligible, and the application is online-only on the AISSEE portal.
The exam pattern, properly laid out
The paper structure below follows the AISSEE scheme used in recent cycles — confirm the 2027 bulletin for any revision before building a study plan around it.
Class 6: 125 questions, 300 marks, 150 minutes
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 50 (3 marks each) | 150 |
| General Knowledge | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
| Language (English or Hindi) | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
| Intelligence | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
Class 9: 150 questions, 400 marks, 180 minutes
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 50 (4 marks each) | 200 |
| English | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
| Intelligence | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
| Science | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
| Social Studies | 25 (2 marks each) | 50 |
Mathematics is half the paper in both classes — the single decisive fact about preparation. For Class 6 the language section is chosen as English or Hindi; for Class 9 English is compulsory. There is no negative marking in either paper, so every question should be answered.
Selection after the written test
The written test is the first stage, not the whole admission. Qualified candidates are called for e-counselling, followed by medical examination and document verification — the medical stage has its own fitness standards, so check the bulletin for the requirements and do not leave them to the last week.
The 2027 calendar
NTA's examination calendar proposes 31 January 2027 as the exam date. That is a tentative planning date. The exam-specific notification and information bulletin are what confirm it — one secondary report dates the 2027 notification to 13 October 2026, and a school-level page puts the application window at 10 October to 9 November 2026. Neither could be verified against the live NTA portal in this pass, so the only safe move is to read the window off aissee.nta.nic.in (the NTA's AISSEE site) before acting on a deadline. Admit cards, answer keys and the result will follow on the same portal on the bulletin timeline.
The application fee — deliberately unstated here
The fee could not be verified for the 2027 cycle: secondary listings split between ₹850 (General/OBC/EWS) / ₹700 (SC/ST) and ₹800 / ₹650, which likely reflects different cycles. Pay only what the live 2027 application form shows, via the portal's online payment modes (card, net banking, UPI).
How to apply
- Register on the AISSEE portal and fill the form — candidate details, chosen Sainik School(s) and exam city, category.
- Upload a recent passport-size photograph, signature and the required certificates (date of birth proof, residence/domicile, caste and income certificates where applicable, and the previous year's marksheet).
- Pay the fee shown on the form online.
- Submit and download the confirmation page — keep the registration number for the admit card and result.
Common mistakes
Parents submit the form with the wrong birth-date window and the application is dead at verification — compute the 1 April–31 March birth window before touching the form. Uploading a photograph or signature outside the specified size limits is the most common technical rejection. Choosing the wrong Sainik School city or school order, because school preference in the form drives the counselling stage. And the quietest killer: skipping the medical fitness standards in the bulletin, which disqualify candidates who cleared the written test.
Sources & verification
31 January 2027 is a tentative NTA calendar date. The AISSEE exam-specific bulletin and application portal remain the final source.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AISSEE 2027 exam date?
NTA's examination calendar proposes 31 January 2027, but that is a tentative planning date — it becomes confirmed only when it appears in the exam-specific information bulletin on aissee.nta.nic.in.
Who can apply for Sainik School Class 6 admission through AISSEE 2027?
A candidate aged 10 to 12 years as on 31 March 2027 — born between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2017 — who is studying in Class 5 at the time of the exam and passes Class 5 at the time of admission. Both boys and girls are eligible for Class 6, and only Indian citizens can apply.
What is the Class 9 age and study requirement for AISSEE 2027?
The candidate should be 13 to 15 years old as on 31 March 2027 — born between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2014 — studying in Class 8 at the time of the exam and passing Class 8 for admission. Girls' admission to Class 9 must be checked against the 2027 bulletin, as it was limited to select schools in recent cycles.
Is there negative marking in AISSEE?
No. AISSEE is an offline, pen-and-paper, OMR-based test of multiple-choice questions with no negative marking in either the Class 6 or the Class 9 paper, so every question should be answered.
What is the AISSEE Class 6 and Class 9 paper pattern?
Class 6 has 125 questions for 300 marks in 150 minutes, with Mathematics carrying 50 questions and 150 marks. Class 9 has 150 questions for 400 marks in 180 minutes, with Mathematics carrying 50 questions and 200 marks.
What is the AISSEE 2027 application fee?
The fee could not be verified for the 2027 cycle — secondary listings split between ₹850 (General/OBC/EWS) / ₹700 (SC/ST) and ₹800 / ₹650 — so pay only what the live 2027 application form on the AISSEE portal shows.
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