RMS CET is the Common Entrance Test for admission to Class VI and Class IX in the five Rashtriya Military Schools at Chail, Ajmer, Dholpur, Belgaum and Bengaluru. For 2026 the National Testing Agency conducts the written exam on 13 December 2026, and applications close at 5 pm on 20 October 2026, with a late-fee window until 25 October. Boys and girls can apply: ages 10 to 13 for Class VI and 13 to 16 for Class IX, counted on 31 March 2027.
This guide follows the NTA’s RMS CET-2026 information bulletin, published in September 2026, and the NTA page for the test, checked on 12 October 2026. The schools’ own admission page still carries older age limits and says admissions are exclusively for boys, so where the two disagree we use the NTA bulletin, which is the current notice. The school page itself asks readers to refer to the latest CET notification.
What are the key dates for RMS CET 2026?
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application | 23 September to 20 October 2026, up to 5 pm |
| Late application, with a late fee of ₹500 | 21 to 25 October 2026 |
| Correction window | 27 and 28 October 2026 |
| City intimation slip | Last week of November 2026 |
| Written exam, Stage I | 13 December 2026 (Sunday), 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Stage I result with answer keys | January 2027 |
| Medical examinations and interviews | February to March 2027, as per call-up letters |
| Joining school | 1 April 2027 |
The application fee is ₹1,000 for General, OBC and OBC (NCL) candidates, and ₹750 for SC, ST and wards of personnel killed in action. The application is online only, at exams.nta.nic.in/rmscet. Dates may change, so read the NTA page before the last day.
Who is eligible for RMS CET?
| Point | Class VI | Class IX |
|---|---|---|
| Age on 31 March 2027 | 10 to 13 years | 13 to 16 years |
| Date of birth | 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2017, both days included | 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2014, both days included |
| Education | Passed Class V, or studying in Class V and passing before admission | Passed Class VIII before admission, from a government or recognised school |
| Gender | Boys and girls | Boys and girls |
| Boarding | Boarders only, no day scholars | Boarders only, no day scholars |
The date of birth is accepted only from a certificate issued by a Municipal Corporation or another authorised local government body. A certificate issued by a Gram Panchayat or any other local body is not acceptable. Wards of personnel killed in action get six months’ relaxation in the upper age limit. Candidates should also preferably know English, which is the medium of instruction.
Can girls apply to RMS, and how are seats reserved?
Yes. The NTA bulletin describes the schools as English-medium, co-educational residential public schools and reserves seats for girls. For Class VI, 10 per cent of the seats declared, or a maximum of 30 seats, whichever is less, are reserved across all five schools together. For Class IX, 10 per cent of the seats across the five schools are reserved. Our guide to military schools for girls in India compares this with Sainik Schools and RIMC.
| Reservation | Share |
|---|---|
| Serving and retired JCOs and other ranks of the Army, Air Force and Navy (entitled category) | 70% |
| Serving and retired officers of the three services (non-entitled category) | 20% |
| Civilians | 10% |
| OBC (NCL), within each category | 27% |
| SC, within each category | 15% |
| ST, within each category | 7.5% |
Seats are also earmarked for wards of personnel killed in action. Vacancies not filled in a reserved category move to the unreserved category, and vacant officers’ seats can go to civilians in the same academic year. Because civilians compete for a 10 per cent share, a civilian family should read the school-wise vacancy details carefully before applying.
What is the RMS CET exam pattern?
The paper is OMR-based, with no negative marking, and lasts 2 hours 30 minutes. The Class VI paper is bilingual in English and Hindi, and the Class IX paper is in English only.
| Class VI paper | Questions | Marks | Minimum to qualify |
|---|---|---|---|
| English (must qualify, but not counted in the merit list) | 50 | 50 | 35% |
| Intelligence test | 50 | 50 | 40% |
| Mathematics | 50 | 50 | 40% |
| General Knowledge and current affairs | 50 | 50 | 40% |
| Interview | 20 |
| Class IX paper | Questions | Marks | Minimum to qualify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: English | 50 | 50 | 50% of the 100 marks of Paper 1 |
| Paper 1: Hindi | 20 | 20 | |
| Paper 1: Social Science | 30 | 30 | |
| Paper 2: Mathematics | 50 | 50 | 50% of the 100 marks of Paper 2 |
| Paper 2: Science | 50 | 50 | |
| Interview | 50 |
Sources differ on the Class VI question counts, so use the figure in the NTA bulletin, which lists 50 questions in each of the four papers. If two candidates tie, the tie is broken in this order. For Class VI: Mathematics, Intelligence test, General Knowledge, English and then interview. For Class IX: Mathematics, Science, English, Social Science and then Hindi.
What is the RMS CET syllabus?
The test is generally of Class V standard for Class VI and Class VIII standard for Class IX. The bulletin lists broad topics for each paper.
Class VI
- English: active and passive voice, adjectives, adverbs, antonyms and synonyms, articles, comprehension passages, conjunctions, error correction, gender, modals, nouns, reported speech, spelling check, tenses, prepositions, question tags, idioms and phrases, and similar grammar.
- Intelligence test: alphabetical order, analogy, blood relations, classification, clock and calendar, coding and decoding, decision making, direction sense, inserting numbers, non-verbal reasoning, puzzles, ranking tests and series.
- Mathematics: arithmetic operations, number system, LCM and HCF, fractions, ratio and proportion, percentage, profit and loss, simple interest, average, data handling, measurement, money, time, speed, geometry and shapes, angles, circle, volume of cube and cuboid.
- General Knowledge and current affairs: national symbols, states and union territories of India, defence forces, books and authors, sports, literature, art and music, historical monuments, environment, the scientific world, important dates and current events in India and abroad.
Class IX
- English and Hindi: grammar, comprehension, vocabulary, voice, speech, sentence structure and Hindi language topics as listed in the bulletin.
- Mathematics: algebraic expressions and identities, factorisation, linear equations, rational numbers, squares, cubes and their roots, exponents, mensuration, area and volume, quadrilaterals, data handling, probability, direct and inverse proportion, profit and loss, simple and compound interest.
- Science: force and pressure, friction, sound and light, heat, electric current and its effects, acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals, combustion, cell structure, reproduction, microorganisms, crop production, coal and petroleum.
- Social Science: history (our pasts), social and political life, resources and development.
If you would like to know where your child stands against these lists, call or WhatsApp us on +91 70170 31757 for free counselling. We offer classroom RMS coaching in Dehradun.
What are the selection stages?
Stage I is the written test. Qualified and shortlisted candidates then undergo a medical examination at nominated Military or Command Hospitals, chosen by the candidate from the bulletin’s list, in line with AFMSF-2 standards, before the interview. Those who clear the medical are interviewed at one of the Rashtriya Military Schools. The interview is out of 20 marks for Class VI and 50 marks for Class IX, and these marks are added to the written score.
A category-wise final merit list is prepared from the cumulative marks for medically fit candidates and posted on the NTA website, where candidates log in to see their marks. Students are allotted a school purely on merit and the vacancies available. The bulletin says no separate intimation goes to unsuccessful candidates. The Stage I result will also carry category-wise cut-off marks on the NTA site.
What are the Rashtriya Military Schools like?
The bulletin describes them as English-medium residential public schools under the Ministry of Defence, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, which serve defence families and civilians from Class VI to XII and aim to prepare cadets to join the Defence Services as officers. Established between 1925 and 1962, they are in Chail (Himachal Pradesh), Ajmer and Dholpur (Rajasthan), and Belgaum and Bengaluru (Karnataka). All schools offer the Science stream only after Class 10. The NTA prospectus sets out tuition fees and caution money by category, so read it before applying. For a comparison with RIMC and Sainik Schools, see RIMC vs RMS vs Sainik School.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
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Ask on WhatsAppWhat is RMS CET?
It is the Common Entrance Test for admission to Class VI and Class IX in the five Rashtriya Military Schools. The NTA conducts the written Stage I and compiles the final merit list, while the Army Education directorate frames eligibility and vacancies and conducts the medical and the interview.
What is the age limit for RMS Class VI and Class IX?
For 2026 admission, 10 to 13 years for Class VI (born 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2017) and 13 to 16 years for Class IX (born 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2014), counted on 31 March 2027.
Are girls eligible for RMS?
Yes. The NTA bulletin reserves seats for girls: 10 per cent or a maximum of 30 seats in Class VI, and 10 per cent in Class IX, across all five schools.
Is there negative marking in RMS CET?
No. The bulletin states there is no negative marking.
Which are the five Rashtriya Military Schools?
Chail in Himachal Pradesh, Ajmer and Dholpur in Rajasthan, and Belgaum and Bengaluru in Karnataka.
When is the RMS CET 2026 exam?
13 December 2026, a Sunday, for 2 hours 30 minutes. Applications run from 23 September to 20 October 2026, with late applications until 25 October.
Is there an interview in RMS admission?
Yes. After the written test and the medical, there is an interview carrying 20 marks for Class VI and 50 marks for Class IX, and the marks are added to the written score.
Can day scholars join RMS?
No. All admissions are into the boarder category, and no day scholars are allowed.
Sources
Preparing for RMS CET from Dehradun? GS India Defence Academy offers classroom RMS 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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