Last updated: 24 October 2026. How are Sainik School seats divided? This guide explains the home state and outside state quota, category-wise reservation (SC, ST, OBC-NCL), defence quota, girls' seats and how unfilled seats move between lists. Understanding this helps parents choose the right schools in AISSEE counselling and set realistic score targets.
The rules below are from recent AISSEE Information Bulletins for the existing Sainik Schools. Exact percentages and seat numbers are confirmed in the AISSEE 2027 bulletin and the school-wise seat matrix that NTA publishes on exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society.
Home State and Outside State
Your child's quota depends on two things: the state of domicile and the state where the chosen Sainik School is located.
Home State (List A): the candidate's domicile state is the same as the school's state. Example: a child domiciled in Gujarat choosing Sainik School Balachadi in Gujarat.
Outside State (List B): the domicile state is different from the school's state. Example: a child from Haryana choosing Balachadi.
The same child can be "home state" for one school and "outside state" for another, so the domicile you declare in the application matters a lot. It must be backed by a valid domicile certificate.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Key Point for Parents
Recent AISSEE bulletins state that candidates domiciled in Telangana are treated as Home State candidates of Andhra Pradesh. This means children from both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana compete in the home-state quota (List A) for Andhra Pradesh's Sainik Schools: Sainik School Korukonda (Vizianagaram district) and Sainik School Kalikiri. (Similarly, Ladakh candidates are treated as home UT of Jammu and Kashmir.) Confirm this rule in the AISSEE 2027 bulletin.
Because the home-state list for these two schools draws from two large states, competition for home-state general seats is strong. Aim well above the qualifying marks, and keep options in other schools too. See cut-off and merit list rules.
How Seats Are Divided in Existing Sainik Schools
Step 1: Home state vs outside state
Quota | Share of seats |
|---|---|
Home State / UT (List A) | 67% |
Other States / UTs (List B) | 33% |
Step 2: Category reservation within each list
Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
OBC Non-Creamy Layer (central list) | 27% |
Defence (wards of serving and ex-servicemen of Army, Navy, Air Force) | 25% of the remaining 50.5% seats |
General | The rest |
For example, recent bulletins showed how a school's seats might split: in the home-state list, roughly 10 SC, 5 ST, 18 OBC-NCL, 9 defence and 25 general seats, with about half those numbers in the outside-state list. Actual numbers differ for every school and year; see the seat matrix.
Limit for any one outside state
In the outside-state list, candidates from any single state or UT can get at most 25% of the seats in a category. For instance, if there are 10 outside-state general seats, one state's candidates cannot get more than 3.
Reservation Rules Explained
OBC Non-Creamy Layer
OBC-NCL means castes in the central OBC list of the National Commission for Backward Classes (ncbc.nic.in), not just the state list, and the family must meet the non-creamy-layer income criteria. Keep a valid central-format OBC-NCL certificate ready.
SC/ST candidates who score well
If an SC, ST or OBC-NCL candidate qualifies on general merit, they get a general seat and do not use up a reserved seat.
Minimum marks for SC/ST
For existing Sainik Schools, recent bulletins prescribed no separate minimum qualifying marks for SC/ST candidates; they are admitted in merit order within their category. For Approved New Sainik Schools, the 25% per subject and 40% aggregate rule applies to everyone. Confirm in the current bulletin.
Defence category
The defence quota is for wards of serving and ex-service personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Wards of Coast Guard and Assam Rifles personnel should apply under their own category (SC, ST, OBC-NCL or General). They are considered for defence seats only if seats remain after Army, Navy and Air Force wards are admitted, and they are not eligible for the defence scholarship.
Girls' seats
Girls are admitted in all Sainik Schools. Recent bulletins reserved 10% of Class 6 vacancies or 10 seats, whichever is higher, for girls in each school, with at least one seat per category where possible. Girls compete mainly with girls for these seats. See the parents' FAQ.
Category cannot be changed later
Name, gender and category cannot be changed after registration, so choose correctly and keep the certificate ready before applying. See how to apply for AISSEE.
What Happens to Unfilled Seats
If seats in a category or list are not filled, they move to other candidates in a fixed order. In recent bulletins:
Unfilled outside-state reserved seats go to home-state candidates of the same category.
Unfilled outside-state general seats go to home-state general candidates.
Unfilled defence seats first go to wards of Coast Guard and Assam Rifles personnel, then outside-state defence gaps to home-state defence candidates, and then home-state defence gaps to home-state general candidates.
Unfilled home-state reserved seats go to outside-state candidates of the same category; if still unfilled, to home-state general candidates.
Unfilled girls' seats go to boys in the corresponding category.
This is why the closing marks for a category can change between counselling rounds.
Approved New Sainik Schools
New Sainik Schools follow a different system: 40% of seats are filled through an All India AISSEE merit list, and 60% are kept for the school's own students who qualify AISSEE. Home-state and category quotas of existing Sainik Schools do not apply in the same way, and seat numbers given in the bulletin can change, so check each school's website.
Seat Matrix and Intake
The tentative intake for Class 6 and Class 9 of every school, and its category-wise split, is published in the appendix of the AISSEE bulletin and in the counselling seat matrix. The complete AISSEE guide includes the most recent seat matrix data published on this blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of Sainik School seats are for home state students?
67% in existing Sainik Schools; 33% are for other states and UTs.
Are Telangana students home state for Korukonda and Kalikiri?
Recent bulletins treat Telangana-domiciled candidates as home state of Andhra Pradesh, so yes. Confirm in the AISSEE 2027 bulletin.
Is there reservation for girls in Sainik Schools?
Yes. Recent bulletins reserved 10% of Class 6 seats or 10 seats, whichever is more, for girls in each school.
Can I change my category after applying?
No. Category, name and gender cannot be changed after registration.
Which OBC list applies for Sainik School admission?
The central OBC list, with non-creamy-layer status.
