Sainik School Cutoff Marks 2026: School-wise & Year-wise Cutoff Marks for Class 6 & 9, Important Dates, & Factors Affecting Cutoffs

NTA will release the Sainik School Result 2026 cutoff marks for classes 6 and 9 in March/April 2026. Cutoff marks show the total score of the last candidate in the waiting list for each category of a class in a Sainik School, as given in the final merit list. 

To join the Sainik School E-Counselling, general students need 45%, OBC/SC/ST 40%, and PH 35%. These qualifying marks only allow entry to counselling, not admission. The actual admission depends on the Sainik School cutoff marks, which change by category, school, gender, seats, and exam performance. Students who meet the cutoff move to the Sainik School Medical Test and final document verification. As per past trends, Class 6 cutoff is expected to be above 220 marks, while Class 9 cutoff may be above 210 marks for Sainik School admission 2026.

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Also Read: Sainik School Admission

Sainik School Cutoff Marks 2026 Dates

Parents and students can check the important tentative dates for the Sainik School cutoff below:

Also Read: Sainik School Dates

Factors Affecting the Sainik School Cutoff Marks 2026

Parents can check the following factors that directly impact the Sainik School cutoff:

• When more students apply, the Sainik School cutoff goes up because of higher competition. For example, for 2025-26 admissions, Class 6 Round 6 general category cutoff marks went above 260 for Sainik School Kalikiri. 

• Every Sainik School has a fixed number of seats. How these seats are divided among General, OBC, SC, ST, and Defence categories affects the cutoff. For example, Korukonda had 93 seats in Class 6 for 2025—83 for boys and 10 for girls.

• If the AISSEE exam is tough, overall scores drop, and the cutoff can rise.

• Reservation rules also change the cutoff. For example, Sainik School Korukonda gave 67% seats to home state students and 33% to other states, with further category divisions.

• Students’ performance matters. The highest and lowest marks in the exam directly affect the cutoff. For 2025-26 admissions, Sainik School Nalanda’s general home state cutoff was about 277 for boys for Round 6. 

• Each category has its own cutoff. The highest cutoff always goes for unreserved categories, while SC/ST categories enjoy lower cutoff trends.

• Cutoffs differ from state to state. For example, Sainik School Sambalpur had the lowest cutoff of 140 marks in the girls category after Round 6 e-counselling, for 2025-26 admissions. 

Also Read: Sainik School Entrance Exam

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Sainik School Qualifying Marks 2026-27

Parents and students can check the following minimum qualifying marks required to be considered for the Sainik School e-counselling process:

Note: All the 33 traditional Sainik Schools have no minimum qualifying marks for SC/ST candidates. 

Also Read: Sainik School Admission Age

Sainik School Cutoff Marks 2026 Class 6

AISSAC 2026 cutoff marks will be released after the Sainik School entrance exam. Meanwhile, parents and students can take a look at the AISSAC 2025 school-wise Sainik School cutoff scores after Round 1 e-counselling for Sainik School Class 6 home-state quota. These cutoff trends will help them guess the Round 1 cutoff marks for Class 6 for Sainik School admission 2026:

Sainik School Kalikiri Cutoff 2025 Class 6 - Round 1

Sainik School Korukonda Cutoff 2025 Class 6 - Round 1

Sainik School Goalpara Cutoff 2025 Class 6 - Round 1

Sainik School Kunjpura Cutoff 2025 Class 6 - Round 1

Sainik School Ghorakhal Cutoff 2025 Class 6 - Round 1

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Sainik School Cutoff Marks 2026 Class 9

AISSAC will release the Sainik School cutoff marks 2026 after the AISSEE. Till then, parents and students can check the AISSAC 2025 school-wise cutoff marks for Sainik School Class 9 home-state quota after Round 1 e-counselling. These cutoff trends will help them predict the Round 1 cutoff marks for Class 9 Sainik School admission in 2026.

Sainik School Kapurthala Cutoff 2025 Class 9 - Round 1

Sainik School Satara Cutoff 2025 Class 9 - Round 1

Sainik School Rewa Cutoff 2025 Class 9 - Round 1

Also Read: Sainik School Fees Structure

Sainik School Seat Reservation Criteria 2026

Sainik School Seat Reservation Criteria 2026 reserves 67% seats for students from the home state or UT and 33% for students from other states or UTs. Out of these, 15% seats go to SC, 7.5% to ST, and 27% to OBC-NCL categories. Also, 25% seats are for children of defence personnel, and for Class VI, 10% seats or 10 seats are kept for girls. These reservations apply at every stage of selection for admission to Sainik Schools. 

Parents and students can check the table below for a quick overview and better clarity of the Sainik School reservation 2026:

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 FAQs

1. When will NTA release the Sainik School cutoff marks 2026?

NTA will release the Sainik School cutoff marks 2026 for Classes 6 and 9 probably in March/April, after the scorecard announcement in March The cutoff will show the last admitted candidate’s marks for each category, changing by school, gender, and seat availability.

2. What are the minimum qualifying marks for Sainik School e-counselling?

 To join Sainik School e-counselling, General and OBC/SC/ST students need 40% overall and 25% in each subject, while PH students require 35%. However, in traditional 33 Sainik Schools, SC/ST candidates have no minimum qualifying marks. Meeting these scores allows counselling entry but not direct admission. 

3. What is the expected cutoff for Sainik School admission 2026?

Based on past results, Sainik School cutoff marks for Class 6 may exceed 220 marks, and Class 9 cutoffs may cross 210 marks. However, actual cutoffs differ across schools and categories. Higher competition, limited seats, or better student performance can raise cutoffs significantly compared to previous admission cycles. 

4. How are Sainik School seats reserved for 2026 admission?

Sainik Schools reserve 67% seats for home state students and 33% for other states. Within this, 15% are for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC-NCL, and 25% for defence personnel’s children. In Class 6, 10% or 10 seats are reserved for girls.

5. Why do Sainik School cutoff marks differ across schools?

Sainik School Cutoff marks vary because each school has a different seat matrix, category distribution, and state-wise quota. For example, in 2025, Korukonda’s home state cutoff for boys was 281, while Goalpara’s was 225. Local demand and exam difficulty also strongly influence these differences.

6. What happens after clearing the Sainik School cutoff?

 Students meeting the Sainik School cutoff move to the medical examination and document verification. Only those passing both stages secure final admission. Thus, qualifying marks grant counselling entry, but final selection depends on cutoff performance, medical fitness, and proper verification of eligibility documents.