Last verified: 21 October 2026 (Wednesday), 11:15 AM IST. This is a deadline-update explainer, not breaking news: both dates were announced earlier and are reconfirmed from education-news reports published in the last 48 hours. CONFIRMED = from those reports; EXPECTED = unannounced.
Two of this admission season’s biggest defence-school deadlines land on the same day — with four days left. If your child is applying for RMS CET 2026 (Rashtriya Military Schools, NTA) or the UP Sainik School entrance 2027-28, the window you are in now is the final one.
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| RMS CET 2026 (NTA) | UP Sainik School 2027-28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission to | Class 6 and Class 9, Rashtriya Military Schools | Class 6 to 9, UP Sainik Schools (Lucknow + Gorakhpur) |
| Current window | Late-fee window (opened 21 Oct) | Normal-fee window |
| Closes | 25 Oct, 5 PM (fee by 11:50 PM) — CONFIRMED | 25 Oct, 5 PM — CONFIRMED |
| Late option | ₹500 extra within this window | ₹2,000 extra, 26–31 Oct (5 PM) |
| Correction window | 27–28 Oct — CONFIRMED | 3–5 Nov (till 5 PM) — CONFIRMED |
| Exam | 13 Dec 2026 (OMR, pen-and-paper) — CONFIRMED | 20 Dec 2026 — CONFIRMED |
| Where to apply | NTA RMS CET portal | upsainikschool.org |
The regular window closed on 20 October; the late window that opened on 21 October is the last chance. During 21–25 October you pay the normal fee plus ₹500: ₹1,500 total for General, OBC and OBC-NCL candidates, ₹1,250 for SC, ST and wards of personnel killed in action.
Get these two right: a bank debit alone does not prove submission — download the confirmation page. And the 5 PM cut-off on 25 October is for the form; fee payment runs till 11:50 PM, but do not use those hours as a buffer. Then keep 27–28 October free — the correction window, where a typo in name, category or photo can still be fixed.
The normal-fee window closes on 25 October at 5 PM for both the Lucknow and Gorakhpur schools. Miss it and you can still apply until 31 October — at ₹2,000 extra. The correction window is 3–5 November, admit cards are expected after 25 November, and the written exam is on 20 December.
Eligibility recap: Class 6 applicants must be born between 2 July 2015 and 1 January 2018; Class 9 applicants between 2 July 2012 and 1 January 2015. Near a boundary date? Verify against the official prospectus before paying.
RMS CET’s written exam is 53 days away (13 December); UP Sainik School’s is 60 days away (20 December). The families who file this week get the correction window as a safety net and two full months of undistracted preparation. The families who miss 25 October either pay the penalty or lose the cycle entirely.
What is the last date to apply for RMS CET 2026? The late-fee application window closes on 25 October 2026 at 5 PM. Fee payment can be completed until 11:50 PM the same day.
What is the last date for UP Sainik School admission 2027-28? Applications without a late fee close on 25 October 2026 at 5 PM. With a late fee of Rs 2,000, applications are accepted until 31 October 2026 at 5 PM.
What is the RMS CET 2026 late fee? Candidates pay Rs 500 extra over the normal fee: Rs 1,500 total for General, OBC and OBC-NCL candidates, and Rs 1,250 for SC, ST and wards of personnel killed in action.
When is the RMS CET 2026 correction window? The online correction window is scheduled for 27 to 28 October 2026, after the late application window closes.
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