Same word. Same uniform. Very different schools.
Every year, thousands of families fill in the AISSEE form believing every school with "Sainik" in its name is the same. It is not. Since 2021, India has run a second category of Sainik Schools alongside the original ones, and the gap between them is wider than most brochures admit.
Here is what parents should know before choosing, drawn from official announcements and news reports, not coaching-centre folklore.
The 60-Second Difference
The original Sainik Schools, 33 of them when the scheme was announced, are run by the Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence. The newer ones trace back to the Union Budget of 1 February 2021, which proposed 100 new Sainik Schools in partnership with NGOs, private schools and state governments. Do check the current number from the Sainik School Society website.
That arrangement is the Sainik School PPP model: an outside partner owns and runs the school, and the Society affiliates it. Here is how the two compare.
| Aspect | Old Sainik Schools | New Sainik Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Sainik Schools Society (Ministry of Defence) | Private, NGO or state partners, affiliated to the Society |
| Seats via AISSEE | Home-state and outside-state quotas, 67% / 33% | 40% all-India merit, 60% for the school's own students |
| Fees | Set within the Society's framework | Each school sets its own |
| Campus | Residential | Varies, so check each school |
| Board | CBSE | Varies, so check each school |
// swipe the table sideways to see all three columns
New Sainik School Fees: The Number Nobody States Plainly
There is no single figure, and any website quoting one is guessing. Because partners run these schools, each sets its own fee structure. What the Ministry did announce, on 16 December 2022, is support: up to 50% of the fee, capped at ₹40,000 per student per year, on a merit-cum-means basis. That covers up to half of a class, with a ceiling of 50 students per class. The Government did not commit funds for buildings or faculty. The partner carries that cost.
Ask for a written fee schedule covering hostel, uniform, transport and activities, and how the support applies to your child.
New Sainik School Admission Process: Same Exam, Different Seat Map
Entry to Class 6 and Class 9 runs through the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE), conducted by the National Testing Agency. The New Sainik School admission process uses the same exam, but the seats are split differently. For the 2026 round, 40% were filled on all-India merit with no domicile or category quota, while 60% were reserved for students already studying in that school.
For an outside child, the real competition is for the 40%. The application fee that year was ₹850 for General, OBC-NCL, Defence and Ex-servicemen candidates, and ₹700 for SC/ST. Rules shift between cycles, so always confirm the figures in the current NTA bulletin.
Preparing for the written paper? Our Sainik School & RMS preparation course covers the full AISSEE syllabus — mathematics, language, intelligence and general knowledge — for both Class 6 and Class 9 entry.
The Approved New Sainik School List: "Sainik" in the Name Is Not Approval
A school joins the approved New Sainik School list only after it meets the Society's qualifying requirements, accepts its by-laws and signs a Memorandum of Agreement.
Before paying any fee, check that the school appears in the NTA's AISSEE notification and on the Sainik Schools Society's official website.
Is a New Sainik School Good? An Honest Answer
Some are strong, some are still finding their feet, and the label cannot tell you which. Judge the school in front of you with the following questions:
- Is it fully residential, a day school, or does it follow a day-cum-residential model?
- Do daily PT and parade actually happen? Are ex-defence personnel permanently posted there?
- Which board and medium of instruction does it follow?
- What is its record in board and competitive exams, in names and numbers rather than slogans?
- Search the website and look at the Google Reviews, as well as feedback from other sources.
New Sainik School vs Old Sainik School for NDA
Neither category guarantees an NDA seat. Entry runs through the UPSC examination and the SSB, open to any eligible candidate after Class 12, whatever school they attended. The older schools have the longer track record. The newer ones have a shorter history, so there is less data to judge them by.
What moves the needle is the daily environment: discipline, fitness, communication and the quality of mentoring. A child in a disciplined, residential new school with committed mentors is better placed than one in a school where the "Sainik" tag is the only military thing about it.
So, Which One?
The right school is the one your child can realistically get into, that you can afford for the full duration, and that lives the routine its uniform promises. Compare schools one by one, not as categories.
Questions Parents Ask
What is the difference between old and new Sainik Schools?
The original Sainik Schools, 33 of them when the scheme was announced, are run by the Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence. The newer ones trace back to the Union Budget of 1 February 2021, which proposed 100 new Sainik Schools in partnership with NGOs, private schools and state governments. In that PPP model an outside partner owns and runs the school, and the Society affiliates it.
What are the fees in a new Sainik School?
There is no single figure, and any website quoting one is guessing. Because partners run these schools, each sets its own fee structure. What the Ministry did announce, on 16 December 2022, is support of up to 50% of the fee, capped at ₹40,000 per student per year, on a merit-cum-means basis, covering up to half of a class with a ceiling of 50 students per class.
How does new Sainik School admission work?
Entry to Class 6 and Class 9 runs through the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE), conducted by the National Testing Agency. The same exam applies, but the seats are split differently. For the 2026 round, 40% were filled on all-India merit with no domicile or category quota, while 60% were reserved for students already studying in that school.
How do I check if a school is an approved new Sainik School?
A school joins the approved New Sainik School list only after it meets the Society's qualifying requirements, accepts its by-laws and signs a Memorandum of Agreement. Before paying any fee, check that the school appears in the NTA's AISSEE notification and on the Sainik Schools Society's official website.
Is a new Sainik School better for NDA than an old one?
Neither category guarantees an NDA seat. Entry runs through the UPSC examination and the SSB, open to any eligible candidate after Class 12, whatever school they attended. The older schools have the longer track record; the newer ones have a shorter history, so there is less data to judge them by. What moves the needle is the daily environment: discipline, fitness, communication and the quality of mentoring.
Preparing for AISSEE or weighing a school offer? The Winning Edge Defence Academy guides students and parents through preparation and school choice. Call +91 74179 20356 or visit our Donali Chowk centre in Dehradun.
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