Sainik School E-Counselling 2026: Schedule, AISSAC Registration Process, Choice Filling, & Documents Required

Sainik School E-Counselling is scheduled to likely start in the March 2026. The counselling, also called All India Sainik Schools Admission Counselling (AISSAC), is a fully online process. It admits students to 33 old and 41 new Sainik Schools after they qualify in the AISSEE 2026 exam. The counselling starts after the Sainik School entrance exam results, and the registration and choice filling usually take place from March to May/June 2026. Students must re-register for Sainik School online counselling on pesa.ncog.gov.in/sainikschoolecounselling, using their AISSEE application number. Usually, there are a total of 6 rounds of Sainik School Admission counselling each year. 

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Major Takeaways

• The Sainik School E-Counselling 2026 is completely online. 

• The official website for student registrations is pesa.ncog.gov.in. Students must register on this website.

• Sainik School counselling process is completely free of cost. Students don’t need to pay any counselling fee. 

• Counselling starts after AISSEE results in March 2026, while registration and choice filling usually take place from March to August 2026.

• Signup is completed by verifying an OTP sent to the registered mobile and email.

• Choice filling for Sainik School admission counselling is only done once during the entire counselling process. Therefore, candidates must choose carefully. 

• Each student can choose up to 10 schools in order of preference.

• The first choice is normally fixed during AISSEE application submission.

• Seats are allotted strictly based on:

  • AISSEE 2026 rank

  • Seat availability

  • Sainik School Reservation rules (67% seats for home state, 33% for other states)

  • Categories like General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and wards of defence personnel

• After seat allotment, students get three options:

  • Accept the seat and complete the next steps.

  • Reconsider by joining the next round (current seat will be cancelled).

  • Exit completely from counselling.

• To confirm admission, students must:

  • Pass the medical exam

  • Submit documents at the allotted school

• Admission is cancelled if students fail medicals or miss the reporting deadline.

• Counselling usually takes place in 6 rounds until all seats are filled.

• Factors affecting seat allotment are: domicile, gender, category, AISSEE rank, and order of chosen schools.

• Students who accept seats must report to their school on time, pay fees, and complete admission formalities.

• Students must follow the All India Sainik School Admission Counselling (AISSAC) 2026 schedule carefully, lock preferences, and attend medical and document checks on time.
   

Sainik School E-Counselling Blueprint

Parents can check the flowchart image below of the Sainik School admission counselling 2026 for a quick overview:

Also Read: Sainik School Class 9

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Sainik School E-Counselling Schedule 2026-27

Candidates can check below all the crucial dates for the Sainik School counselling 2026:

Disclaimer: The above-mentioned dates are tentative and based on past trends. We will promptly update the table when the official counselling dates are released. 

Also Read: Sainik School Scholarship

How to Register for AISSAC E-Counselling 2026?

Parents and students can check the stepwise process to register for Sainik School E-Counselling below:

• Access the official Sainik School admission counselling portal. 

• Use your AISSEE application number to begin the registration process, as shown in the image below:

• You'll receive a one-time password (OTP) on your registered mobile number and email. Enter the OTP and set a secure password.

• Login with your AISSEE application number and new password. 

• The system will automatically show your details like name, category, and domicile from your AISSEE registration. 

• Check the information carefully and confirm it. Your registration is complete only after you confirm the details.

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Steps to Fill Choices for AISSEE E-Counselling

Candidates and parents can check the step-by-step method to exercise choice filling for the Sainik School e-counselling:

• Visit the official AISSEE E-Counselling portal as mentioned above.

• Click on the “Sign In” button.

• Enter your AISSEE Application Number and Password

• Enter the captcha for verification.

• After successful login, go to the “Choice Filling” section.

• A list of Sainik Schools (including New Sainik Schools) will appear on your screen.

• Use the “+” or “Add” option to select schools one by one.

• You can select up to 10 Sainik Schools or New Sainik Schools.

• Arrange your preferences by using the “Move Up / Move Down” options to set priority order.

• You can select and reorder multiple schools before locking.

• Once satisfied, click on “Save & Lock Choices”.

• Download and take a printout of the locked choices for future reference.

Note: Once choices are locked, they cannot be modified, so review carefully before final submission. If you do not lock your choices before the deadline, the system will lock the default choices shown on the portal, which may reduce your chances of admission.

Understand Your School Options

Before filling out choices, parents must check the school options available based on the combination selected during AISSEE 2026 registration. The options for filling choices change according to what was chosen at the time of exam registration, and are shown in the image below:

Note: For Sainik Schools, candidates can choose up to 10 schools. The first school choice, selected during AISSEE registration, is fixed and cannot be changed. For New Sainik Schools through the 40% route, candidates can choose up to 14 schools.

Ezyschooling Tip: Study each school carefully before selecting your choices. Check details like location, facilities, fees, academic results, and activities so that you can make a smart decision.

Also Read: Sainik School Medical Test

How to Strategically Fill Choices for Sainik School E-Counselling?

Here are some major factors that must not be missed by parents during the Sainik School admission counselling choice filling process:

1. Check Your Registration Category First

• If you applied for SS only, you can fill only Sainik Schools (the first choice is fixed as per the AISSEE form).

• If you applied for the SS + NSS 40% route, you can fill Sainik Schools (first choice is fixed) plus NSS seats under the 40% quota.

• If you applied for the SS + NSS 40% + NSS 60% route, you get the widest pool (SS fixed plus NSS under both quotas).

2. Prefer Your Fixed First Choice (SS)

• Since your first Sainik School is locked from registration, put nearby or most preferred Sainik Schools immediately after it.

• Check vacancy trends to decide the order.

3. Assess Seat Matrix Before Filling

• Look at last year’s cutoffs and the number of seats in each school.

• Give higher priority to schools that have more seats in your category (gender, domicile, caste).

4. Balance Popularity vs Probability

• Older and well-known schools like Satara, Chittorgarh, and Kunjpura have high competition, so keep them at the top, but don’t depend only on them.

• Mid-tier or newer schools usually have lower cutoffs; therefore, put them after high-demand schools for better chances of selection.

5. Choose NSS Routes Wisely

• 40% Route (AISSEE merit-based): Choose NSS with a higher intake and good track record.

• 60% Route (State quota): If your state offers a strong reservation in certain NSS, rank those higher.

6. Geographical Strategy

• Prefer nearby schools to reduce travel and living expenses.

• If relocation is fine for you, include distant schools with lower competition (many students skip them due to distance).

7. Sequence Matters

Arrange your choices in this safe order:

• First fixed SS (auto-selected)

• High-demand SS/NSS (aspirational picks)

• Mid-demand schools with moderate cut-offs (realistic picks)

• Lower-demand schools with low cut-offs (safety picks)

8. Avoid Leaving Choices Blank

• Fill all available options in your category (SS/NSS). Leaving blanks reduces your chances of getting a seat.

9. Check State-wise Quota in NSS (60% Route)

• If your state has several NSS under the 60% quota, rank them first before choosing NSS from other states.

Also Read: Sainik School Entrance Exam Syllabus

What’s Next After Seat Allotment?

During Sainik School counselling, candidates get three options after seat allotment:

• Accept: If a candidate accepts the seat, they must finish the admission steps, including medical and physical verification, within the given time. If not, he cannot join further rounds or claim admission.  

• Reconsider: If not satisfied, a candidate can choose ‘Reconsider’ to join the next round for other preferred schools. The current seat gets cancelled, with no chance of claiming it again. Choices remain the same as filled earlier.  

• Hold and Continue: If partly satisfied, a candidate must take admission in the allotted school, but can still compete for a higher-choice school in later rounds. If allotted, records, documents, and fees shift to the new school. Once shifted, old seats cannot be retained.

Documents Required for Verification After Seat Allotment

A list of documents required for verification once the seat is allotted to a student is mentioned below:

• Provisional admission letter from AISSAC-2025.

• AISSEE-2025 admit card.

• AISSEE-2025 scorecard.

• Original, signed checklist with an undertaking.

• Original government-issued photo ID proof with address for the student, father, and mother/guardian.

• Original medical fitness report plus two photocopies.

• Original birth certificate issued by the government as proof of date of birth.

• For defence personnel: date of birth proof from the record office or a dependent certificate from Zila Sainik Board (original).

• Study certificate signed by the principal or headmaster of the Class V or Class VIII school.

• If applicable, original certificate of category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) as per the Government of India format, issued by the proper authority.

• Original domicile or residence certificate issued by the proper authority.

• Defence category candidates: certificate of service signed by the CO/OC of the unit or PPO for ex-servicemen (original).

• Original income certificate issued by the revenue officer (Tehsildar or higher) from the candidate’s area, covering family income for the financial year 2026-27, issued on or after April 1, 2026. (Note: Affidavits or IT returns are not accepted.)

• Photographs:

  • Five passport-size photos of the candidate.

  • Two postcard-size family photos with parents and children.

• For adopted children, the original adoption deed is required. 

Sainik School E-Counselling Merit List

Sainik School merit list for e-counselling is what decides the final seat allotment for each candidate. This merit list is prepared by combining AISSEE marks plus the medical test scores. There are usually 6 rounds in the Sainik School e-counselling, along with a chance of a spot round (offline counselling), if seats remain vacant after the 6th round of counselling.

Parents, for their reference, can check the Sainik School E-Counselling schedule below for the academic cycle 2025-26:

Sainik School Admission 2026 - Important Links

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FAQs

1. When will Sainik School E-Counselling 2026 begin?

The Sainik School E-Counselling 2026 is expected to begin in March 2026, soon after the AISSEE 2026 exam results are announced.

2. What is the official website for Sainik School counselling 2026?

Students must register and participate in Sainik School admission counselling 2026 only through the official portal, pesa.ncog.gov.in/sainikschoolecounselling. No other website is authorised for this process.

3. Do students need to pay any counselling fees?

No, the Sainik School counselling process is completely free of cost. Students only need to pay school fees after securing admission, not during the online counselling registration process.

4. How many Sainik Schools can a student choose during choice filling?

Students can select up to 10 Sainik Schools and up to 14 New Sainik Schools through the 40% route, in order of preference. The first choice is fixed during AISSEE 2026 application, while others can be arranged strategically before locking.