Posted somewhere new?
There's an APS within an hour.
137 CBSE schools across India, run by AWES for the children of serving and retired Indian Army personnel — and open to civilians under Category 6 where vacancies allow. ~2.3 lakh students, ~8,500 teachers, six-category admission priority, and a culture where discipline shows up in the timetable, not in slogans.
A welfare society that became a school system
AWES was registered on 29 April 1983 as a society under the Adjutant General's Branch, Army Headquarters. The mandate was simple: ensure that the children of serving and retired Army personnel — wherever the Army posted them — could access a consistent, affordable, English-medium CBSE education. From four high schools in 1983, the system has grown to 137 APS, 250 pre-primary schools (APPS), and 12 professional colleges.
Built around posting cycles
Indian Army officers and JCOs are typically transferred every two to three years across cantonments. AWES placed APS adjacent to almost every major garrison so that when a family moves, the child has a CBSE school within commuting distance — no matter how remote the posting.
Centralised teacher hiring (APSCSB)
Unlike most school chains, APS does not hire teachers school-by-school. The Army Public Schools Common Selection Board (aps-csb.in) runs a centralised online screening + interview + demo evaluation. Selected teachers receive a scorecard valid for placement at any APS — same baseline quality across 137 schools.
Why fees are not centrally fixed
Each APS School Management Committee sets fees locally — bounded by AWES "fair and reasonable" guidelines, not a central rate card. This explains why APS Dhaula Kuan in Delhi can charge differently from APS Tezpur in Assam. The structure recognises that cost-of-running varies sharply across the country's cantonments.
Civilians are welcome — under Cat 6
Where seats remain after defence categories (Cat 1–5) are filled, civilians can apply under Category 6. Cat 6 admissions are most likely in tier-2 cantonments and at higher classes (where defence-family transfers happen mid-session, opening seats). Most central-cantonment APS — Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi — are competitive for Cat 6.
“No other Indian education system has been built deliberately around the geography of military service. AWES is what happens when school placement follows posting orders.”
— A reading of why APS exists
Six categories, in admission order
APS admissions follow a centrally-published category priority. Category 1 (serving Army wards) admit first; civilians come last. Verify exact wording in the current AWES Admission Policy on awesindia.com.
Wards of serving Army personnel
Children of serving Army officers, JCOs, and Other Ranks. Top admission priority across all 137 APS.
Wards of serving Navy / Air Force / DSC personnel
Sister-service wards admitted as per APS terms; second priority after Army wards.
Wards of ex-Army personnel
Children of retired Army personnel — pension-drawing ESM (Ex-Service-Men).
Wards of ex-Navy / Air Force personnel
Subject to vacancy after Categories 1-3.
Wards of MoD & AWES civilian employees
Defence civilian employees serving in approved posts at MoD or AWES.
Civilian / general public
Only against vacancies after defence categories. Most APS schools have limited Cat 6 seats; competitive in central cantonments, easier in tier-2 stations.
Verify exact wording in the current AWES Admission Policy. Some schools differ slightly in Cat 5/6 framing.
Boarding-style APS, with their own admission process
Of 137 APS, just five are residential. They run dedicated entrance criteria, separate fee structures, and operate more like the better Sainik / Rashtriya Indian Military College schools than typical day APS.
APS Dhaula Kuan
New Delhi's flagship residential APS, located near the Delhi cantonment.
APS Noida
NCR's residential APS — boys' boarding tradition with mixed day-scholar provision.
APS Dagshai
Set in the Shivaliks at 5,700 ft, one of the oldest cantonment-school sites.
APS Beas
Western Punjab's residential APS — large campus, strong sports tradition.
Gen BC Joshi APS
Pithoragarh's residential APS in the Kumaon hills, named after Gen BC Joshi.
What APS actually costs
APS fees are set by each school's local School Management Committee — not centrally fixed by AWES. Defence wards get concessional rates; civilian (Cat 6) wards pay higher fees that are still below comparable CBSE private schools.
- Tuition (typical)₹1,500–₹3,500/moStation-specific
- TransportSubsidisedFree in some cantonments
- Annual + book deposit₹3,000–₹8,000One-time + annual
- Tuition (typical)₹3,000–₹6,000/moHigher in central cantonments
- TransportFull rate
- Annual + book deposit₹8,000–₹20,000One-time + annual
- Set by local SMCYesNot centrally fixed
- AWES-imposed capNoWithin "fair and reasonable" guideline
- Residential APS+ ₹1.5–3 L/yrBoarding extra
- Cat 6 depositOften requiredRefundable security
- •Figures are indicative. Verify exact fee at the specific school via its individual website or admission office. The AWES site explicitly cautions against unauthorised fee collection.
- •Some schools charge admission-related lump sums one-time at entry. These are usually disclosed in the admission prospectus.
What you need at admission
APS admission documents focus on establishing the priority category. Defence wards must show service papers; civilians need standard residence + previous-school documents.
Required for every applicant
- Birth certificate of the child (Municipal / Registrar issued)
- Aadhaar of the child and at least one parent
- Proof of residence (Aadhaar address / PNG bill / rent agreement / passport)
- Two recent passport-size photographs of the child
- Previous school transfer certificate (TC) and last report card — for Class 2 and above
If applicable to your case
- Service certificate from Army / Navy / Air Force / DSC unit — for Cat 1-4 priority claim
- Pension Payment Order (PPO) or Discharge Certificate — for ex-servicemen wards (Cat 3-4)
- Civilian-employee certificate from MoD / AWES employer — for Cat 5
- Caste certificate (SC / ST / OBC-NCL) — if claiming reservation (varies by school)
- Disability certificate from competent medical authority — if applicable
- Latest posting order — if claiming mid-session APS transfer admission
- Class 10 board mark sheet — for Class 11 admissions
Locate an Army Public School
APS are concentrated in cantonment locations. Search by station, state, or school name to find one near your posting or residence.
Distribution follows the cantonments
Top 12 states by APS count (CBSE-affiliated, pincode-derived). The geography of Army Public Schools tracks the geography of the Indian Army — the highest concentration is in northern states with major garrisons. Click any state.
PM SHRI vs Kendriya Vidyalaya vs Navodaya vs Army Public School
Different networks solve different problems. This is what each one actually offers, in a glance.
| PM SHRI | Kendriya Vidyalaya | Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya | Army Public School You are here | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Same as base school | ₹500–2,500/mo (varies by class & category) | ₹0 Class 6–8 · ₹600/mo VVN Class 9–12 (with waivers) | Cat 1 (Army wards) subsidised · Cat 6 civilian higher |
| Type | Quality stamp on existing schools | Day school · ~1,253 across India + 3 abroad | Fully residential · 662 functional | 137 schools · 132 day + 5 residential |
| Who can apply | Inherited (school applies, not student) | Open to all (priority order Cat 1–6) | Class 5 student, same district as JNV (75% rural quota) | Six categories — Cat 1 (serving Army wards) → Cat 6 (civilian) |
| Admission process | Inherited from base school | Class 1: lottery within priority categories | JNVST entrance exam (Mental Ability + Arithmetic + Language) | Direct (school-level) for most; entrance for residentials |
| Board | Inherited | CBSE | CBSE | CBSE |
| Next cycle | Phase 1–4 sanctioned by 2024 | Class 1 registration: 20 Mar 2026 onwards | JNVST 2027 cycle: registrations from Jun 2026 | Year-round; residentials publish own schedules |
Common questions about Army Public Schools
Can civilians get admission to an APS?+
Yes, under Category 6. Seats are limited and depend on vacancies after defence categories are filled. Most likely available in less-central cantonments and at higher classes. Most central-cantonment APS are competitive for Cat 6.
Are APS the same as Sainik Schools?+
No. APS are CBSE coed civilian-style schools run by AWES (Indian Army welfare body), mostly day schools (only 5 residential out of 137). Sainik Schools are residential schools meant to feed students into the National Defence Academy, governed by the Sainik Schools Society under MoD.
How many Army Public Schools are there?+
137 APS across India per the AWES official directory. Of these, 5 are fully residential — APS Dhaula Kuan (New Delhi), APS Noida (UP), APS Dagshai (HP), APS Beas (Punjab), and Gen BC Joshi APS Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand).
How does an APS hire teachers?+
Through APSCSB — Army Public Schools Common Selection Board at aps-csb.in. Centralised online screening, interview, demo, and evaluation. Selected candidates get a scorecard valid for placement at any APS based on preference and vacancies.
Are Army Public Schools also PM SHRI?+
Mostly no. PM SHRI is restricted to schools managed by Central Govt, State/UT Govt, or local bodies. APS are run by AWES — a registered welfare society, not a government department — so they are outside the PM SHRI sanctioning track.
What's the fee structure?+
Fees are NOT centrally fixed across APS — each School Management Committee sets fees locally. Defence wards (Cat 1-4) get subsidised rates; civilian (Cat 6) fees are higher. Typical Cat 6 ranges: ₹3,000–₹6,000/month (lower than comparable urban CBSE private schools).
What is AWES and how is it governed?+
Army Welfare Education Society — registered under the Societies Registration Act on 29 April 1983. Functions under the Adjutant General's Branch, Army Headquarters. Apex body: Board of Governors, chaired ex-officio by the Adjutant General. A retired Major General serves as full-time Secretary at HQ AWES.
How many students attend APS in total?+
Approximately 2.3 lakh (≈230,000) students with around 8,500 teaching staff across the network, per AWES official figures. The system adds an average of ~5,000 new students each year.
How do I find admission information for a specific APS?+
Each APS publishes its own admission notification. Use the AWES ERP at erp.awesindia.edu.in/webinterface/searchschool to find the school, then visit its individual website. Residential APS have their own admission portals.
Are there any APS in the North-East?+
Yes, including in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura — co-located with Army garrisons. The North-East has ~12 APS in total based on our directory data.
Does AWES run any other educational institutions?+
Yes. AWES also runs around 250 Army Pre-Primary Schools (APPS) and 12 professional colleges including Army Institute of Technology (Pune), Army Law College (Pune), Army College of Medical Sciences (Delhi), Army Institute of Hotel Management & Catering (Bengaluru), and Army College of Dental Sciences (Secunderabad).
What is the medium of instruction?+
English is the medium across all APS, aligned with CBSE. Hindi and the regional state language are taught as second/third languages per the three-language formula.
Are APS coed?+
Yes, all APS are coeducational. The five residential APS also admit both boys and girls, though boy-strength is typically higher in residentials.
How can I verify a school is a genuine APS?+
Cross-check on awesindia.com/school.aspx (state-wise listing) or this directory. Genuine APS are CBSE-affiliated, listed in the AWES state pages, and managed by a Local School Management Committee under AWES.
Can my child transfer between APS schools?+
Yes, transfers between APS schools are facilitated for defence-family wards on parental posting. Apply with the transfer order and the previous APS's transfer certificate. Civilian (Cat 6) wards generally cannot transfer.
APS by city & topic
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Explore →getschoolsinfo.com is an independent education information portal. We are not affiliated with the Indian Army, the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES), the Ministry of Defence, or the Government of India, or with any defence schooling scheme. Names are used here purely to identify schools based on publicly available UDISE+ data. We do not display Indian Army insignia or the AWES emblem. For authoritative information, visit awesindia.com.