AISSEE 2027 Notification: Expected Dates, Eligibility, Vacancies and How to Apply

Quick Answer: The AISSEE 2027 notice isn't out yet, but NTA's own exam calendar already fixes the written test for 31 January 2027. Based on the AISSEE 2026 cycle, expect the notification in early to mid October 2026, with applications open for about three to four weeks. Class 6 needs an age of 10 to 12 years and Class 9 needs 13 to 15 years, both as on 31 March 2027, with no minimum percentage and no negative marking.

Refreshing the NTA Sainik School Society page every evening for the 2027 notice? You're not too early. The notification window for this cycle opens right around now, and every day spent on Maths or GK before it drops is a day your child won't get back later.

The AISSEE 2027 notification hasn't been released by the National Testing Agency yet. NTA's tentative exam calendar for 2026-27 already pencils in the AISSEE 2027 written test for 31 January. So everything below combines that calendar, confirmed facts from the AISSEE 2025 and 2026 notices, with clearly marked estimates for this cycle.

You'll find the expected timeline, how many Sainik School seats are actually up for grabs, the exact age windows for Class 6 and Class 9, the exam pattern, and the application steps.

When Will the AISSEE 2027 Notification Be Released?

Expect it in early to mid October 2026. AISSEE 2026 was notified on 9 October 2025, with applications from 10 October to 9 November and the exam on 18 January 2026. NTA's own tentative calendar already lists the AISSEE 2027 written exam for 31 January 2027, so the exam date has more certainty this cycle than most defence entrance exams get this far out.

What the Last Two Cycles Tell You

• 2025 ran badly behind schedule: notified only on 24 December, with the exam pushed all the way to 5 April. NTA gave no public reason for the slip.
• 2026 snapped back to the usual rhythm: notified in early October, exam held in mid-January, barely three months end to end.
• The exam date is already semi-confirmed: 31 January 2027 comes from NTA's own academic calendar, not a guess based on past patterns. Treat it as tentative, but far more reliable than most 2027 projections.
• Applications close fast, then get extended anyway: both 2025 and 2026 saw the last date pushed back by one to two weeks. Apply in the first week regardless.
• Admit cards land close to exam day: in 2026, the city intimation slip came on 6 January and the admit card on 12 January, just six days before the test.

Dates tell you when to be ready. What decides whether your child even gets a seat is how many there actually are.

How Many AISSEE 2027 Vacancies Can You Expect?

Expect a Class 6 pool well above 8,000 seats nationwide, and a much smaller Class 9 pool limited mostly to leftover vacancies. The exact 2027 figure will only be confirmed in the notice, but the trend is firmly upward as new Sainik Schools keep opening.

What These Numbers Mean for Your Preparation

• Class 6 is the bigger door: over 8,600 seats across old and new schools combined, against roughly 656 fixed Class 9 seats in the original 33 schools alone.
• Class 9 seats are leftovers, not fresh intake: admission there runs through 40% and 60% routes tied to vacancies, so the count varies school to school and year to year.
• New Sainik Schools are still multiplying: the Ministry of Defence has approved 86 new schools under the public-private-partnership model against a target of 100, and 69 of them took Class 6 admissions in AISSEE 2026 with 19 also offering Class 9.
• Reservation shapes the real odds in your state: 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC-NCL, 25% for boys from other states or union territories, and 25% within the home-state share for wards of defence personnel and ex-servicemen.
• Girls' seats depend on the school: Class 6 is co-ed at every participating school, but Class 9 admission for girls depends on seats being available at that specific school.

More seats than most defence exams, but only if your child actually qualifies on age. That's the next checkpoint.

What Is the AISSEE 2027 Eligibility?

Your child must be an Indian national, within the Class 6 or Class 9 age window on 31 March 2027, and currently studying in or have passed the qualifying class. There's no minimum percentage requirement in either class, and NTA generally gives no age relaxation.

These windows are carried over from the AISSEE 2026 criteria, since the age-cutoff date simply moves to 31 March of the exam year each cycle. Confirm them against the 2027 notice once it's out.

Eligibility Details Most Parents Miss

• Only Indian nationals can apply. Students based outside India aren't eligible, regardless of citizenship.
• Girls can apply for Class 6 at every participating school, since co-ed admission is now standard across old and new Sainik Schools alike.
• Girls applying for Class 9 depend on vacancies. Not every school offers Class 9 seats for girls, so check the specific school's seat matrix before applying.
• No minimum qualifying percentage exists. Selection runs on merit in the written exam plus medical fitness, not a cutoff score in Class 5 or Class 8.
• No current backlog for Class 9 applicants. A student with a pending Class 8 subject at application time isn't eligible.

Eligible on age? Good. The written exam is still the only gate, and it looks nothing like a typical school test.

What Is the AISSEE Exam Pattern?

AISSEE is an offline, OMR-based, multiple-choice exam with no negative marking, which is unusual among defence entrance exams. Class 6 runs 2.5 hours for 300 marks, and Class 9 runs 3 hours for 400 marks.

What Makes the AISSEE Pattern Different

• No negative marking at all. Unlike AFCAT or CAPF, a wrong guess costs nothing, so your child should attempt every question.
• Maths carries the most weight by far: 150 of 300 marks in Class 6, and 200 of 400 in Class 9. Half the paper rides on one subject.
• The whole exam is MCQ with four options, filled on an OMR sheet, not typed or computer-based.
• There's no interview for regular admission. Selection is written exam plus medical fitness, unlike officer-entry exams that add an SSB round.

Know the paper. The next question is what happens once it's over.

What Happens After the Written Exam?

A provisional and then final answer key is published, followed by the result and merit list. Seat allocation runs through a centralised process called AISSAC, not a school-by-school scramble.

• Answer key and result: in AISSEE 2026, the final answer key came on 11 February and the result on 27 February, about six weeks after the exam.
• AISSAC counselling: the All India Sainik Schools Admission Counselling round lets qualified candidates fill school and category preferences for seat allocation.
• Document verification: birth certificate, school records and category certificates are checked against the original application.
• Medical examination: conducted for candidates provisionally allotted a seat; medical fitness is compulsory for final admission.
• Final merit and admission: built from written exam marks, category reservation and preference order, with allotment and admission typically completed by May or June.

Merit list sorted? Then the only thing left is getting the application right the first time.

How to Apply for AISSEE 2027

You'll apply online through the official AISSEE portal once the notice is out. The fee in AISSEE 2026 was ₹850 for General, OBC-NCL, Defence and Ex-servicemen categories, and ₹700 for SC/ST candidates.

1. Register with basic details and verify with an OTP.
2. Fill in the candidate's personal, academic and category details, and select preferred Sainik Schools in order.
3. Upload a scanned photograph, signature and the required certificates.
4. Pay the fee online and download the confirmation page.

Documents to Keep Ready Now

• Birth certificate for date of birth proof.
• Class 5 marksheet or bonafide certificate for Class 6 applicants, and Class 8 marksheet for Class 9 applicants.
• Aadhaar card, along with caste or category certificates if applying under a reserved category.
• A defence or ex-servicemen certificate if applying under that quota.
• Scanned photo and signature, sized to the portal's file limits.

No edits are allowed after final submission in most AISSEE cycles, so double-check every field before you pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the AISSEE 2027 notification come out?

It's expected in early to mid October 2026. The AISSEE 2026 notice came out on 9 October 2025, with applications opening the same day. Exact dates will be confirmed only when NTA publishes the notice on the official AISSEE portal.

What is the expected AISSEE 2027 exam date?

31 January 2027. This date comes from NTA's own tentative exam calendar for 2027, not an estimate based on past cycles, though it remains subject to change until the formal notice confirms it.

Is there negative marking in AISSEE 2027?

No. AISSEE has never carried negative marking for Class 6 or Class 9, unlike exams such as AFCAT or CAPF. Wrong answers cost nothing, so there's no reason to leave a question unattempted.

Can girls apply for Class 9 admission under AISSEE 2027?

Yes, but it depends on seat availability at the specific school. Class 6 is co-ed at every participating Sainik School, while Class 9 admission for girls runs only where that school has vacancies in that category.

Start Before the AISSEE 2027 Notification Drops

The notice could land any week now, and the written exam is already pencilled in for the end of January. Use the gap well: confirm your child's age window today, get the birth and school certificates in order, and start timed Maths and GK practice, since half the paper rides on those two sections.

Want an alert the day the AISSEE 2027 notice and application link go live? Join the community channels on WhatsApp or Telegram.

Read Also:

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• Defence Exam Calendar 2027