Navodaya & Sainik School Age Eligibility Checker
Pick your child's date of birth to see, in one go, whether it fits the official windows for JNVST 2027 Class 6, the Navodaya Class 9 lateral entry test and Sainik School Class 6 and 9, with the other conditions from each notice.
- 100% free
- No sign-up
- Runs in your browser
- Updated October 2026
1Child's date of birth
Use the date on the birth certificate issued by the government authority. Navodaya asks for a copy of it at admission.
2Which admission?
Navodaya checks the class as well as the age: Class 5 in 2026-27 for the Class 6 test, and Class 8 in 2026-27 for the Class 9 test.
3Result
Choose the date of birth
Pick the day, month and year on the left.
The verdict for each admission appears here.
Next: Navodaya photo & signature size · JNVST mock test timer · JNVST OMR sheet
This checker is a helper. Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and the Sainik Schools Society decide eligibility after checking documents. Read the official notice before you apply.
Who this checker is for
Every year lakhs of parents check whether their child can sit the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) or the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE). Both exams use a "born between" window instead of a simple age, and the window moves every year. A child born a few days outside it is not eligible, however well prepared. This checker puts the official dates for all four common entries side by side: Navodaya Class 6, Navodaya Class 9 (lateral entry), Sainik School Class 6 and Sainik School Class 9. It tells you in plain words whether the date of birth fits, by how many days it misses if it does not, and which other conditions the notice sets.
Nothing you enter leaves your phone. The check runs in the browser, and the date of birth is saved only on your device so it is there next time.
How to use it
- Choose the day, month and year of birth exactly as printed on the child's birth certificate.
- Keep All four selected, or pick one admission if you only care about Navodaya or Sainik School.
- Optionally choose the class the child is studying in now. Navodaya checks the class as well as the age, so this catches a common mistake.
- Read the verdict for each admission. Open Other conditions in the notice to see residence, school and attempt rules.
- Press Copy result to paste it into WhatsApp or a note, or Print to keep it with the child's documents.
The official age windows
| Admission | Born between (both days included) | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Navodaya Class 6 (JNVST 2027, session 2027-28) | 1 May 2015 to 31 July 2017 | NVS prospectus 2027, clause 4.2 |
| Navodaya Class 9 (lateral entry, 2027-28) | 1 May 2012 to 31 July 2014 | NVS Class 9 prospectus, clause 6.1 |
| Sainik School Class 6 (AISSEE 2026) | 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2016 | NTA bulletin, clause 5.1.1 |
| Sainik School Class 9 (AISSEE 2026) | 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013 | NTA bulletin, clause 5.1.2 |
Navodaya dates come from the JNVST 2027 prospectus and the Class 9 lateral entry prospectus. The Sainik School dates come from the AISSEE 2026 information bulletin, because NTA had not published the AISSEE 2027 bulletin when we checked on 24 October 2026. For AISSEE 2027 the checker also shows an estimate: the 2026 rule was "10 to 12 years on 31 March" for Class 6 and "13 to 15 years on 31 March" for Class 9, so the same rule for 2027 would give 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2017 and 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2014. Treat that line as a guide until the new bulletin is out.
Navodaya: age is only half the test
The JNVST prospectus is strict about schooling and residence. A child who fits the date window can still be rejected after selection if any of these is wrong:
- Class 5 in 2026-27. The child must study Class 5 for the whole 2026-27 session in a government, government-aided or recognised school, or be in the NIOS "B" certificate course. Children who passed or repeated Class 5 earlier cannot apply.
- Classes 3, 4 and 5 completed. Each class must be a full academic session. A child who skipped Class 3 or 4 is not eligible.
- District of residence. Admission is district-specific. The child applies only in the district where the family lives and the child studies Class 5. A school in a neighbouring district is allowed only if it is within 10 km of home, and the application still goes to the home district's JNV.
- One attempt. A child who has sat JNVST before cannot sit it again.
- Rural or urban. At least 75% of seats in a district go to rural children. To count as rural, Classes 3, 4 and 5 must all be in rural-area schools; even one day in an urban school makes the child an urban candidate.
The Class 9 lateral entry test has its own rules: the child must study Class 8 in 2026-27 in the same district where the family lives, must pass Class 8 that year, and can sit the test only once. Seats are only the vacancies in that JNV.
Sainik School: what else the bulletin asks
For AISSEE the age is counted as on 31 March of the admission year. Girls can apply for Class 6, and for Class 9 subject to vacancies, with the same age rule as boys. A Class 9 candidate must have passed Class 8 from a recognised school by the time of admission. To qualify, the AISSEE 2026 bulletin asked for at least 25% in each subject and 40% in total; existing Sainik Schools set no minimum for SC and ST candidates, while approved New Sainik Schools apply the minimum to everyone. Admission then follows e-counselling on merit, a medical check and document verification.
Common mistakes parents make
- Using the school record instead of the birth certificate. If the two differ, fix it first. The prospectus says a candidate whose date of birth does not match the school record and the birth certificate is liable to be rejected.
- Forgetting the "both days included" rule. A child born on 31 July 2017 is inside the JNVST 2027 window; one born on 1 August 2017 is not.
- Assuming last year's dates. The window moves forward each year. Always read the notice for the year you are applying.
- Choosing OBC without a Central-list certificate. NVS accepts only a Central OBC certificate issued before registration; otherwise apply as Unreserved.
After the age check
If the child is eligible, get the uploads ready with the Navodaya photo and signature resizer (JPG, 10 to 100 KB) or the Sainik School photo, signature and thumb resizer. For practice, print a JNVST-style OMR sheet and time the paper with the JNVST mock test timer. For government job exams with category relaxation, use the exam age calculator.
This page is not run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, NTA or the Sainik Schools Society, and is not affiliated with them. They take the final decision on eligibility after checking documents.
Age limit pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the Navodaya age limit for Class 6 in 2027?
The JNVST 2027 prospectus says the child must be born between 1 May 2015 and 31 July 2017, both days included. The same dates apply to every category, including SC, ST, OBC and Divyang children, so there is no age relaxation.
Is there age relaxation for SC, ST or OBC children in Navodaya?
No. Clause 4.2 of the prospectus applies the same born-between dates to all categories. Reservation affects how seats are filled, not the age limit.
What is the Navodaya Class 9 age limit for 2027-28?
The Class 9 lateral entry prospectus for 2027-28 asks for a date of birth between 1 May 2012 and 31 July 2014, both days included. The child must also be studying Class 8 in 2026-27 in a government or recognised school of the same district.
What is the Sainik School age limit for Class 6?
In the AISSEE 2026 bulletin the child had to be 10 to 12 years old on 31 March 2026, which means born between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2016. The 2027 bulletin was not out when we checked on 24 October 2026. If it keeps the same rule, the window becomes 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2017, and the checker marks this as an estimate.
My child is the right age but studies in Class 4. Can they sit JNVST 2027?
No. JNVST 2027 is only for children studying Class 5 for the whole 2026-27 session. A child in Class 4 now can apply in the year they are in Class 5, if their date of birth fits that year's window.
Which date of birth does Navodaya check?
The one on the birth certificate issued by the government authority, which must be issued before the date of registration or the exam. Selected children submit a copy at admission, and NVS can refer doubtful cases of over-age to a medical board.
Can a child who failed or repeated Class 5 apply for JNVST?
No. The prospectus says children who passed or studied Class 5 in an earlier session are not eligible, and a child can sit JNVST only once. NVS compares data with earlier years to find repeaters.