Families who want their child in a Rashtriya Military School for academic session 2027-28 have one window to make it happen - and it opens in September 2026.
The RMS Common Entrance Test for the upcoming session is conducted in December 2026. The registration closes well before the exam. Missing the October deadline means sitting out the entire cycle.
Here's the complete registration guide - who can apply, when, through which portal, what documents to gather, and the mistakes that get applications rejected.
What RMS Is - The Quick Context
Rashtriya Military Schools were originally established as King George's Royal Indian Military Schools in 1925 to educate the sons of defence personnel. Later, they were renamed RMS in 2007, with the objective of preparing students for the armed forces.
There are five Rashtriya Military Schools located at Chail in the Shimla Hills of Himachal Pradesh, Ajmer and Dholpur in Rajasthan, Belgaum and Bengaluru in Karnataka. All five are residential, CBSE-affiliated, and directly managed by the Ministry of Defence.
RMS CET ↗ application forms are invited for admission to Class VI and Class IX in RMS Chail, Ajmer, Belgaum, Bengaluru, and Dholpur for the Academic Session 2027-28.
Important Dates for RMS CET 2026
The RMS admission application window will open in September 2026. Candidates will be able to register on apply-delhi.nielit.gov.in for admission to Class 6 and Class 9 in Rashtriya Military Schools. They will be able to apply for corrections or updates to their application in October 2026. The RMS CET examination will be held in December 2026, and the results will be released in February 2027.
The last date for submitting the RMS CET application form will be in October 2026.
Mark these dates clearly. The application window is narrow - roughly four to six weeks. Submit your application well before the deadline to avoid technical problems. The portal can experience congestion in the final days, and a technical failure on the last day doesn't extend your deadline.
Eligibility - Age, Class, and Gender
For Class 6: Students seeking Class VI admission should be 10 to 12 years old by 31 March 2026. This means birth dates between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2016 make a child eligible.
For admission to Class VI, there is no mandatory prior educational qualification. Class VI applicants should either have completed Class V or be in their final year.
For Class 9: For Class IX admission, students need to be 13 to 15 years old by 31 March 2026. The birth dates should fall between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2013.
Class IX candidates need to have passed Class VIII or be currently studying in it.
Age relaxation: Children of defence personnel killed in action get a 6-month relaxation on the upper age limit for both classes.
Girls and boys: RMS CET application forms are invited for admission to Class VI - Boys and Girls - and Class IX - Boys and Girls.
Note that some older sources indicate Class 9 is boys-only. The current 2026-27 cycle officially includes girls in both classes. Confirm from the official notification when it releases.
The Application Portal - Where to Actually Apply
Your first step is to visit the official RMS admission portal at apply-delhi.nielit.gov.in. You can start by clicking the 'New User Registration' link on the homepage. The system will ask for simple information to create your account. You'll receive your login credentials on your registered email and mobile number.
Your email address and mobile number should be personal and valid. The system will send all future updates about admit cards, results, and other important information to these contact details. Don't use a shared or cyber cafe email ID for this registration. Use a dedicated email address that the family checks regularly.
The online application process is managed by NIELIT and is fully automated. The system is rigid, meaning that key details like your category and date of birth cannot be changed after submission. Accuracy is everything.
Step-by-Step Application Process
Step 1 - Register on the portal. Visit apply-delhi.nielit.gov.in and create a new account using a valid personal email and mobile number.
Step 2 - Log in and access the application form. Log in to the official site to access and complete the 2026-27 admission form through the RMS website. Check that every piece of provided information is correct and accurate.
Step 3 - Fill in candidate details. Enter name, date of birth, class applying for, category, school details, parent information, and preferred exam centre. Entering wrong Date of Birth leads to rejection. Uploading unclear scanned documents is another common mistake that causes problems.
Step 4 - Upload required documents. Before you begin, gather digital copies of a scanned recent passport-sized photograph with a plain background and the candidate's signature - both in JPG format and under 50KB. Additionally gather: birth certificate, current class marksheet, parent or guardian ID proof - Aadhar card, voter ID, or passport - and domicile certificate proving your state of residence.
Step 5 - Pay the application fee. To obtain an admission form by mail, a demand draft of Rs 600 for general candidates and Rs 325 for SC/ST candidates, plus Rs 50 postage, is required. Online payment options are also available through the NIELIT portal.
Step 6 - Review and submit. Examine your data points two times before submitting your information for review. Once submitted, key details cannot be changed. A careful final review prevents the most common errors.
Step 7 - Download and save the acknowledgement. Keep the confirmation page and registration number safe. This is needed to download the admit card later.
RMS Exam Pattern - Class 6 and Class 9
Understanding what you're preparing for starts with the exam structure.
Class 6 pattern: The written exam is conducted at the Class V standard. The medium of the question paper is both Hindi and English. The RMS CET exam for Class 6 has a total of 200 marks. The English subject section carries 50 marks. Candidates are required to qualify in this section, even though English marks will not be counted in the final merit. The Intelligence test, Mathematics, General Knowledge, and Current Affairs sections carry 50 marks each. Students require at least 40% marks in these sections to qualify.
Marks in the English paper for Class VI are only for qualification - minimum 35% - and are not counted in the final merit list.
Class 9 pattern: For admission to Class IX, the written exam is conducted at the Class VIII standard. The question paper for Class IX is in English only. Subjects include Mathematics, English, General Knowledge, Intelligence, and Social Studies.
The CET written examination for Class VI and Class IX will be fully automated through Optical Mark Reader - OMR-based examination. Unlike RIMC which has descriptive components, RMS CET is fully OMR-based - standard multiple-choice. This means answer marking speed and accuracy on OMR sheets matter alongside content knowledge.
Reservation Policy
SC and ST categories have 15% and 7.5% reservation of seats respectively.
Girls' reservation: Class VI - 10% seats or maximum 30 seats, whichever is less, put together in all 5 RMSs. Class IX - 10% seats put together in all 5 RMSs of total seats declared.
Defence KIA families: Wards of personnel killed in action are completely exempt from paying tuition fees and other allied expenses, as a gesture of gratitude from the nation.
Fee Structure
The RMS fee structure ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 90,000 annually depending on category. This is significantly lower than many private residential schools and comparable with Old Sainik Schools for most categories. SC/ST students receive further subsidies, and defence KIA wards are exempt from tuition entirely.
Selection Process After Written Test
The RMS CET application process is followed by the written exam, shortlisting, interview, medical examination, merit list and school allotment.
Candidates who qualify will be shortlisted and called for an interview round at a Rashtriya Military School, and the interview marks will be added to the written test score to prepare the final merit list. Those who qualify will undergo a medical examination at designated military hospitals. Candidates found medically unfit are not admitted. Final selection is based on combined merit, medical fitness, and seat availability.
All candidates must complete a medical fitness examination before their admission to the Rashtriya Military Schools, by the standards outlined in AFMSF-2, and this examination must take place at the hospital specified in the application form. Requests for changes to the medical examination centre will not be entertained.
Choose the medical examination centre carefully at the time of application. This selection is locked in and cannot be changed.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Rejection
Entering wrong Date of Birth leads to rejection. Uploading unclear scanned documents is a common problem. Missing the last date is the most avoidable error of all.
Complete every section of the form carefully because blank sections will lead to rejection.
Start preparing documents now - domicile certificate, birth certificate, school marksheet, parent ID. These take time to collect and sometimes require multiple visits to government offices. Having everything ready before the application window opens means a stress-free submission in September rather than a frantic scramble in October.
Start preparing at least 6 to 8 months in advance. Use NCERT books - Class 5 for Class 6 admission, Class 8 for Class 9 admission. Solve previous year RMS CET papers. Focus on Mathematics and English as the most scoring sections. Practice mock tests under exam conditions. Stay updated with current affairs by reading newspapers daily.
The RMS CET result for Class 6 was announced on February 9, 2026, following the December 2025 exam. The RMS Common Entrance Test will tentatively announce results in February 2027 for the December 2026 cycle, published on rashtriyamilitaryschools.edu.in.
Every stage - application, written test, interview, medical - has its own deadline and its own elimination round. Starting the journey correctly with a flawless application form is the first step that cannot be skipped or hurried.
For RMS CET preparation resources, previous year papers, mock tests, and complete defence school admission guidance, visit SainikGuru.com.