Unutilized seats in Sainik Schools are allotted in a step-wise manner based on the following criteria:
i. Deficiencies in Other States/UT Reserved Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) (List B) will be filled by candidates from the Home State/UT's corresponding Reserved Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) (List A).
ii. Deficiencies in Other States/UT General Category (List B) will be filled by candidates from the Home State/UT General Category (List A).
iii. Deficiencies in the Defence Category, both Home State/UT and Other States/UT, in List A and List B will first be filled by children of Coast Guard or Assam Rifles personnel based on their domicile status and inter-se merit. If there are any volunteers from the respective School's Waiting List under any category after the Final Merit List is published*.
iv. Further deficiencies in Other States/UT Defence Category (List B) will be filled by candidates from the Home State/UT Defence Category (List A).
v. Further deficiencies in Home State/UT Defence Category (List A) will be filled by candidates from the Home State/UT General Category (List A).
vi. Deficiencies in Home State/UT Reserved Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) (List A) will be filled by candidates from Other States/UT's responding Reserved Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) (List B).
vii. Deficiencies in categories of girl candidates will be filled up by boy candidates in the corresponding category.
viii. Remaining deficiencies in all categories (after internal transfers) may be filled by candidates in the Waiting List of other Sainik Schools. These vacancies will be filled based on the category-wise combined merit list of the candidates from other Sainik Schools who apply for the seats.
