Last verified: 16 October 2026. Eye standards below are from the Standard Operating Procedure for All India Sainik School Admission Counselling (AISSAC), as reported by Drishti Judiciary. The medical certificate format is taken from an actual Sainik school’s published medical examination form. General medical criteria are cross-checked on EzySchooling. Facts marked CONFIRMED have a Tier-1 or two independent Tier-2 sources; EXPECTED marks judgement calls.
Here is something most AISSEE families discover too late: topping the written exam does not guarantee admission. Every year, candidates — including high rankers — lose their seats at the medical board. For AISSEE 2026, the Sainik Schools Society released the medical-round shortlist on 2 March 2026, and the rule was blunt: all candidates, including the top rankers, had to clear the medical round before e-counselling (CONFIRMED — Shikso, reporting the Society’s list).
So what does the board actually check, and what is this “medical certificate” parents keep hearing about? Let’s go through the real documents, not the coaching-centre folklore.
The “medical certificate” is not a form you download and fill at home. It is the medical examination form issued by the school, completed and signed by the examining doctor after the board examines your child. A published example — the form used by a Sainik school — shows exactly how it works: it opens with the candidate’s AISSEE application number, then records a full examination (blood test with Hb percentage, physique, skin, abdomen including liver and spleen, cardiovascular system with heart size/sounds/rhythm/pulse/BP, respiratory system with chest X-ray where applicable, chest measurements at full expiration plus range of expansion, central nervous system including a self-balancing test, speech, mental capacity and emotional stability, and endocrine conditions) — and ends with the doctor certifying nine specific fitness points (CONFIRMED — the school’s published medical form PDF).
Your job as a parent is not to fill this form. Your job is to know what is on it and fix anything fixable months before the exam.
This surprises almost everyone. Printed on the official medical form itself is this note:
“As per Sainik Schools Society Rules and Regulations 1997, no standards of height, weight and chest measurement will be applicable at the time of admission for Sainik Schools.” (CONFIRMED — the official form)
So those height-weight tables floating around coaching websites (128 cm for Class 6, 140 cm for Class 9, and so on) are unofficial practical references, not rules — treat them as rough guides to whether your child looks age-appropriately grown, nothing more. What the board actually certifies is different: no evidence of weak constitution, imperfect development, serious malformation, or obesity (CONFIRMED — the form’s first certification point). In plain language: a healthy, normally-grown child passes; the board is screening for deformity and obesity, not measuring against a chart.
Eyesight is the single most common medical worry, and this is where the official rules are most precise. The AISSAC counselling SOP prescribes (CONFIRMED — Drishti Judiciary, citing the SOP):
| Parameter | Standard-I | Standard-II |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | 6/6 in both eyes | Uncorrected 6/18 in both eyes, improving to 6/6 with glasses |
| Myopia limit | — | Less than −1.25 D sphere (astigmatism under ±0.5 D cylinder) |
| Hypermetropia limit | — | Less than +1.25 D (astigmatism under ±0.5 D cylinder) |
| LASIK / laser surgery | — | Not permitted |
| Colour vision | — | Must meet CP II |
| Other bars | — | No squint, no morbid eye conditions, no active trachoma |
Three things to note. First, spectacles are absolutely allowed — Standard-II exists precisely for children whose corrected vision reaches 6/6. Second, colour blindness is a disqualifying condition, so if it has never been tested, get an Ishihara-plate test done early. Third, if your child is anywhere near the myopia limits, get an ophthalmologist’s opinion six months before the exam — there is time to act, and there is no time to act in March.
Condensed from the official form’s certification section, these are the nine things the doctor must affirm (CONFIRMED — the official form):
On top of this come the lab work: a blood examination (haemoglobin percentage and any other investigations the board orders — EzySchooling’s criteria list adds TC, DC and ESR) and a urine test for albumin, sugar and deposits (CONFIRMED — form + EzySchooling). The general fitness rules are described as similar to NDA standards but relaxed for the younger age group, with chest expansion of about 5 cm expected and normal hearing required (CONFIRMED — EzySchooling).
Two honest footnotes. Flat feet and knock knees are widely reported by coaching academies as common rejection reasons; the official form’s wording is broader (“deformity… affecting physical capacity”), so treat those as commonly-checked rather than officially-listed. And a past hernia or hydrocele is acceptable if properly treated without complications (CONFIRMED — EzySchooling).
The medical examination is conducted at designated medical institutions, and there is provision for review at military hospitals (CONFIRMED — Drishti Judiciary, citing the SOP). The examining team is typically military or government doctors at a nearby government hospital (CONFIRMED — EzySchooling). If the board declares a candidate unfit, the school principal is mandated to reject the candidature through the e-counselling portal — but you can appeal: a review medical board re-examination is available on request (CONFIRMED — SOP via Drishti Judiciary; appeal route also on EzySchooling).
Is there a prescribed medical certificate format for Sainik School admission?
Formats vary slightly by school, but all are built on the same Sainik Schools Society medical examination form: a doctor-completed certificate covering nine fitness points, blood tests, chest measurements and eye standards, keyed to the candidate’s AISSEE application number.
Are there official height and weight standards for Sainik School admission?
No. As per Sainik Schools Society Rules and Regulations 1997, quoted on the official medical form, no standards of height, weight and chest measurement apply at the time of admission. Height-weight tables on coaching websites are unofficial practical references, not rules.
What are the eyesight requirements for Sainik School admission?
Per the AISSAC counselling SOP: Standard-I is 6/6 vision in both eyes; Standard-II allows uncorrected 6/18 improving to 6/6 with glasses. Myopia must be within −1.25D, hypermetropia within +1.25D, LASIK is not permitted, and colour vision must meet CP II. Spectacles are allowed.
What medical conditions lead to rejection in Sainik School admission?
Documented rejection grounds include tuberculosis, heart or kidney disease, sugar or albumin in urine, epilepsy, mental illness, colour blindness, squint, and deformities affecting physical capacity. Flat feet and knock knees are commonly reported rejection reasons by the boards.
Can you appeal if declared medically unfit for Sainik School?
Yes. Candidates declared unfit can seek a review by a review medical board, typically at a military hospital. An unfit report otherwise leads the school principal to reject the candidature through the e-counselling portal.
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