Yes. Girls can join Sainik Schools, the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) and the Rashtriya Military Schools (RMS), each through its own entrance exam. Sainik Schools take girls into Class VI, and into Class IX when seats are vacant. RIMC takes girls into Class VIII. The five RMS take girls into Class VI and Class IX. Some pages still say RMS is for boys only, and that is out of date.
The three routes reserve seats for girls in different ways, and the numbers are small, so it helps to know them before choosing an exam. This guide sets them in one table and then explains each, using only official notices checked on 12 October 2026: the NTA bulletins for AISSEE-2026, RIMCEE-2026 and RMS CET-2026, the Sainik Schools Society and Press Information Bureau releases.
What does each school type allow girls?
| Route | Entry class | Seats for girls | Entrance exam | Girls’ age band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sainik Schools (33 existing schools) | Class VI; Class IX subject to vacancies | In each school, 10% of the Class VI strength or 10 seats, whichever is higher | AISSEE, followed by e-counselling | Same as boys: 10 to 12 for Class VI and 13 to 15 for Class IX, as on 31 March 2026 (AISSEE-2026) |
| Approved new Sainik Schools (partnership mode) | Class VI; Class IX in some schools | Set by each school; check its website | AISSEE | Same as boys |
| RIMC, Dehradun | Class VIII only | Tentatively 10 girl cadets a term, with 25 boys | RIMCEE (NTA, then viva and medical) | 12½ to 14 on 1 July 2027 for the December 2026 exam |
| Rashtriya Military Schools (5 schools) | Class VI and Class IX | Class VI: 10% of seats or a maximum of 30; Class IX: 10%; all five schools together | RMS CET (NTA) | 10 to 13 for Class VI and 13 to 16 for Class IX, as on 31 March 2027 |
How do girls get into Sainik Schools?
Girls were first admitted on a pilot basis at Sainik School Chhingchhip in 2018-19. The Ministry of Defence then opened the 33 existing Sainik Schools to girls from the 2021-22 session. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 28 March 2022, the government said all schools were open to girls up to 10 per cent of vacancies in Class VI or 10 girls, whichever is higher.
The AISSEE-2026 bulletin repeats the rule: one seat per category for girls, and 10 per cent of Class VI strength or 10 seats, whichever is higher, reserved for girl candidates in any school. Girls sit the same AISSEE as boys, and the merit lists are prepared separately for boys and girls, school by school. Class IX admission for girls is open, subject to availability of vacancies, and the age rule is the same as for boys. Seats left unfilled in the girls’ categories can be filled by boys, so check each school’s vacancy list.
Among the approved partnership schools, the AISSEE-2026 bulletin lists schools whose names mark them as girls’ schools, such as Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School in Vrindavan, Mathura, and Bhonsala Military School Girls in Nashik. The Ministry inaugurated the Vrindavan school on 1 January 2024 as the first all-girls Sainik School. For those schools, the bulletin tells candidates to check each school’s own admission policy and seats. Our guide to Sainik School admission through AISSEE covers the exam.
Can girls join RIMC?
Yes. RIMC admits boys and girls to Class VIII only, and the NTA’s RIMCEE-2026 bulletin describes a tentative intake of 25 vacancies for boys and 10 for girls per term. Boys are ranked State by State. For girls, an all-India merit list is prepared from cumulative scores, and seats are allotted zone by zone across North, South, East, West and Central zones. The child must be studying in Class VII or have passed it, and the age band for the July 2027 term is 12½ to 14 years on 1 July 2027. See RIMC eligibility and age limit for the date-of-birth window.
Can girls join Rashtriya Military Schools?
Yes. The NTA’s RMS CET-2026 bulletin describes the five schools at Chail, Ajmer, Dholpur, Belgaum and Bengaluru as co-educational and reserves seats for girls. The schools’ own admission page still says admissions are exclusively for boys and shows older age limits, but it also tells readers to refer to the latest CET notification, which is the bulletin. Girls must be boarders, as all RMS admissions are. The RMS CET guide has the dates, pattern and syllabus.
Which route should a girl choose?
Start with class and age, because the doors open at different points.
- In Class V: Class VI at a Sainik School or a Rashtriya Military School.
- In Class VII: Class VIII at RIMC, where the girls’ intake is small and ranked zone by zone.
- In Class VIII: Class IX at an RMS or a Sainik School, which depends on vacancies.
- Choosing between schools: compare the exam date, the school’s location, boarding and cost, and read RIMC vs RMS vs Sainik School before deciding.
If you would like help matching your daughter’s class and age to the right exam, call or WhatsApp us on +91 70170 31757 for free counselling. GS India Defence Academy has separate boys’ and girls’ hostels with a mess in Dehradun.
What comes after a military school for a girl?
These schools and colleges prepare cadets for the National Defence Academy, but admission to the NDA is a separate path after Class 12. Women can apply: in the UPSC notices for 2026, 24 of 394 vacancies were for women, with selection held separately from men. Our guides on NDA vacancies for girls and NDA for girls: eligibility and life at the academy explain the numbers and the process.
What should parents check before applying?
- The bulletin for the exact exam cycle, since age bands and seats change.
- The school’s own admission policy and girls’ vacancy list, especially for approved partnership schools.
- Boarding arrangements, because RMS admits boarders only and RIMC is residential.
- Whether the exam falls in the same month as other tests the child plans to sit.
- Official sources only. The bulletins warn against touts and anyone promising a seat.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppCan girls join Sainik School?
Yes. All 33 existing Sainik Schools have admitted girls into Class VI since the 2021-22 session, with at least 10 per cent of seats or 10 seats in each school, and Class IX is open subject to vacancies.
What is the Sainik School eligibility for girls?
The age rule is the same as for boys. In AISSEE-2026 the age was 10 to 12 for Class VI and 13 to 15 for Class IX on 31 March 2026, and a Class IX candidate must have passed Class VIII.
Is there a girls Sainik School?
Yes. Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School in Vrindavan, Mathura, was inaugurated on 1 January 2024 as the first all-girls Sainik School, and the AISSEE-2026 bulletin also lists Bhonsala Military School Girls in Nashik.
Can girls join RIMC?
Yes. RIMC admits girls to Class VIII, with a tentative intake of 10 girls and 25 boys a term, and girls are ranked on an all-India list with zone-wise seats.
Is RMS only for boys?
No. The NTA's RMS CET-2026 bulletin describes co-educational schools and reserves seats for girls in Class VI and Class IX.
Can girls join Sainik School in Class 9?
Yes, subject to vacancies. The AISSEE-2026 bulletin says admission for girls in Class IX is open subject to availability of vacancies.
Are there military schools for girls near me?
RIMC is in Dehradun, the five RMS are at Chail, Ajmer, Dholpur, Belgaum and Bengaluru, and the Sainik Schools Society lists its schools on its website. Check each school's admission policy.
Sources
- NTA: AISSEE page and AISSEE-2026 bulletin
- Sainik Schools Society: existing schools
- PIB: status of females in Armed Forces and Sainik Schools, 28 March 2022
- PIB: first all-girls Sainik School at Vrindavan, 1 January 2024
- NTA: RIMCEE-2026 information bulletin (PDF)
- RIMC: admission procedure
- NTA: RMS CET page and 2026 bulletin
- Rashtriya Military Schools: website
- UPSC: NDA and Naval Academy Examination (II) 2026 notice (PDF)
Preparing a daughter for these exams? GS India Defence Academy runs classroom Sainik School coaching in Dehradun with separate boys’ and girls’ hostels and a mess. Call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 to ask about batches.
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