AISSEE 2026 Defence Category Stray Vacancy: Seats and Priority Rules

AISSEE 2026 Defence Category Stray Vacancy seats open after main allotment rounds, giving wards of defence personnel a final chance to secure admission in Sainik Schools under the 25% reserved defence quota.

The All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE) 2026, conducted by NTA, reserves 25% of total seats in every Sainik School for the Defence category across Class VI and Class IX. When these seats go unfilled after main merit-list allotments and waiting-list rounds are exhausted, they are declared as Stray Vacancies. Understanding the school-wise seat matrix and the five-tier priority framework helps defence families act quickly when the official notice is published.

• Sainik Schools reserve 25% of total seats for the Defence category in Class VI and Class IX across all participating schools.
• Stray Vacancy rounds are announced after all regular admission rounds are exhausted and unfilled defence quota seats are confirmed.
• A five-tier priority order governs allotment — from battle casualty wards (Priority I) to para-military wards (Priority V).
• Within each priority tier, AISSEE 2026 merit score determines the final ranking for seat allotment.
• Stray vacancy seat details are published on exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society after main rounds close.

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What is AISSEE 2026 Defence Category Stray Vacancy

The Defence Category Stray Vacancy in AISSEE 2026 refers to reserved seats that remain unfilled after the main merit list and waiting list rounds are fully exhausted. Sainik Schools Society sets aside 25% of total seats in every school exclusively for wards of defence personnel — serving, retired, or deceased in service.

When allotted students fail to report by the deadline, or when the waiting list runs dry before all reserved seats are filled, those seats are declared vacant and offered in a Stray Vacancy round. This is the final admission opportunity for defence category students in AISSEE 2026. NTA announces the stray vacancy schedule and school-wise seat list on the official portal once regular admissions close for the cycle.

Students who appeared in AISSEE 2026 and appear on the merit list but were not allotted a seat in earlier rounds are the primary group for this round. No fresh registration is required — your existing AISSEE 2026 application credentials are used throughout.

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School-Wise Seat Matrix for Defence Category

Each Sainik School fixes its total intake per class, and 25% of those seats form the Defence category quota. The table below shows approximate defence category seats across select Sainik Schools based on 2025 intake patterns. Exact stray vacancy counts for 2026 will be confirmed in the official NTA notice.

Seat figures above are based on 2025 intake data and are approximate. Exact 2026 stray vacancy seat counts will be published in the official NTA notice after the main admission rounds conclude. For Class IX, defence category seats are smaller — typically 3 to 8 per school — since lateral entry intake is limited compared to Class VI.

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Five-Tier Priority Admission Rules for Defence Category

The Defence category in AISSEE 2026 is not a single block — it is divided into five priority tiers. A student in a higher priority tier is allotted a seat before any student in a lower tier, regardless of AISSEE score. Within the same tier, merit rank decides the final order.

In the Stray Vacancy round, this same hierarchy applies. If a Priority I seat goes unclaimed, it cascades to Priority II students, then Priority III, and so on. Only after all five defence priority tiers are exhausted can the seat be offered to General category students, as per Sainik Schools Society norms.

Within each tier, the student with the higher AISSEE 2026 score is allotted first. If two students share the same score, the tie-breaking criteria from the original AISSEE 2026 merit list are applied to determine preference.

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Eligibility and Documents Required

To participate in the AISSEE 2026 Defence Category Stray Vacancy round, you must satisfy all of the following conditions:

• Must have appeared in AISSEE 2026 and hold a valid scorecard.
• Must fall within the age range stipulated in the AISSEE 2026 prospectus for the class applied (Class VI or Class IX).
• Must qualify as a ward of defence personnel under one of the five priority categories listed above.
• Must not have already accepted admission in any Sainik School through an earlier AISSEE 2026 allotment round.

Carry the following documents in original when reporting to the allotted school:

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How to Apply in the AISSEE 2026 Stray Vacancy Round

NTA manages the stray vacancy process through the central AISSEE portal. No fresh registration is needed — use your existing AISSEE 2026 application credentials. Follow these steps once the stray vacancy notification is published on the official portal:

1. Visit exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society and log in with your AISSEE 2026 application number and date of birth.
2. Open the Stray Vacancy section and review the school-wise list of available Defence category seats.
3. Submit your school preferences online within the window announced in the official notice — typically 2 to 3 days.
4. Check your provisional allotment result on the portal after the preference window closes.
5. Download and print the provisional allotment letter if a seat is offered to you.
6. Report to the allotted school with all original documents on or before the deadline specified in the allotment letter.
7. Complete the school’s medical examination and document verification on the day of reporting.

Missing the reporting deadline forfeits the allotted seat. The seat passes to the next eligible student on the priority and merit list. NTA does not grant individual deadline extensions under any circumstance.

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