Your child cleared the AISSEE ↗ 2026. That is the hard part done.
Now comes e-counselling - the step that actually gets them a seat. A lot of families panic here because nobody explained it clearly. So here it is, plain and simple.
What Is AISSEE 2026 E-Counselling?
E-counselling is the online process where your child's seat gets allocated. It is run by AISSAC - All India Sainik Schools Admission Counselling. The Sainik School Society handles it, not NTA.
Clearing the AISSEE only makes your child eligible. It does not guarantee a seat. The seat comes through this process.
Key Dates for AISSEE 2026
Here is what happened and what is still coming:
- Registration opened: 22 January 2026
- Registration deadline extended to: 28 February 2026
- Choice filling window: Expected to open April 2026
- Medical round list released: 2 March 2026
- Registration and choice filling re-opened: 30 March to 1 April 2026 (final window)
Check the official portal - pesa.ncog.gov.in/sainikschoolecounselling - for the latest updates. Dates shift, so keep checking.
Step 1 - Register on the AISSAC Portal
Go to the official AISSAC portal. Click on New Registration.
You will need:
- Your child's AISSEE 2026 application number (from the admit card)
- The mobile number and email used during NTA registration
Enter the application number, click verify, and an OTP will be sent to the registered mobile. Enter it, set a password, and registration is done.
No documents are needed at this stage. Registration is free.
One important thing - do not share your login credentials with anyone. No agent or third-party service is authorised by Sainik Schools Society to do this on your behalf.
Step 2 - Correct Your Details
After registration, a correction window opens. Use it.
Check your domicile, category, and gender carefully. These cannot be changed after the window closes. A wrong category entered during AISSEE registration at NTA cannot be corrected at AISSAC either - so double-check now what you submitted earlier.
Step 3 - Fill Your School Choices
This is the most important step.
You can add up to 10 Sainik Schools in order of preference. Think carefully before locking them. Your child's seat gets allocated based on:
- AISSEE 2026 all-India rank
- Domicile (67% of seats go to home state/UT students at each school)
- Category - General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, Defence
- Gender
Put your most preferred school first. If you get a seat in Round 1, you have two choices - accept it or choose reconsider to wait for a better option in the next round. Be careful here. If you choose reconsider, that seat is gone. You may or may not get a better one.
Once you finalise your list, click Lock the Choices. You can edit before the deadline - but once it is locked and the window closes, that is it.
Step 4 - Medical Examination
If your child gets a seat, they are called for a medical exam. This is done at the Sainik School itself.
The seat is provisional until they pass the medical. If they fail or do not show up, the seat is cancelled. There is no second chance at medical.
Prepare for the medical early. Do not wait for the allotment letter to check things like eyesight and physical fitness standards.
Step 5 - Document Verification and Final Admission
After passing the medical, you go for document verification at the school. Carry originals and attested copies of:
- Aadhaar card of student, father and mother
- Birth certificate
- Domicile certificate
- Category certificate (if applicable)
- AISSEE marksheet
- Transfer certificate from current school
Admission is confirmed only after this step.
A Few Things Most Parents Miss
Missing registration = no seat. Even if your child scored well, not registering on AISSAC means they cannot get a seat. This has happened to families before.
New Sainik Schools work differently. For the 38 approved New Sainik Schools, 40% of seats go purely on all-India rank - domicile does not matter there. Keep this in mind while filling choices.
Multiple rounds happen. If Round 1 does not give a satisfactory school, wait for Round 2. But only if you are okay with the risk of getting nothing.
The whole process is online and free. Take it step by step, read the official instructions on the portal, and do not leave registration to the last hour.
Your child earned the score. Now finish the process properly.
