Admission Guide
Medical & Fitness Standards
The written test and the interview are only two of the three hurdles. The medical examination rejects students every year — usually for things that were fixable months earlier. Here is what colleges look for, and how to prepare honestly.
What the medical check is for
Passing the written test is not the finish line — after the interview comes a medical examination, and students are rejected here every year for reasons that were fixable months earlier. The medical exists because a cadet college is a residential military-pattern school: daily PT, sports, parade. The college needs to know a 10–14 year old can physically live that life.
- It is a screening, not a punishment — most rejections at this stage are for correctable or borderline findings (vision, weight, dental) that early preparation would have caught.
- The standards are set by each college's own admission notice; numbers below are the general expectations families should know going in. Always confirm against the official notice of the college you are applying to.
Vision — the most common trap
Vision standards are the single most common reason students fail the medical, and one of the only ones you can genuinely do something about a year in advance.
- Colleges generally expect normal or near-normal uncorrected vision; strong glasses prescriptions can be a problem at some colleges.
- If your child squints, sits close to the TV, or complains of headaches, get an eye test NOW — a year of correction beats a rejection letter.
- Colour vision matters for some colleges (particularly air-force pattern institutions). It cannot be trained; find out early rather than at the medical.
Height and weight
Colleges publish minimum height requirements by age in their admission notices, and weight is checked against standard age-height tables.
- Being underweight is far more common than overweight among applicants — a child who eats irregularly or is very slight for their age should be seen by a family doctor months before the test.
- There is nothing to 'cram' here; this is the one part of admission that rewards a year of ordinary healthy living: regular meals, sleep, and outdoor activity.
- The medical is not looking for athletes — it is looking for healthy, developing children within normal growth ranges.
Hearing, dental and general health
The panel checks hearing in both ears, teeth and gums, skin conditions, hernias, posture and anything else that would interfere with boarding life.
- Dental caries (cavities) are extremely common in this age group and completely fixable — a dental check-up 3–6 months before admission is cheap insurance.
- Any chronic condition (asthma, epilepsy, heart murmur) does not automatically disqualify, but must be declared with medical documentation — hiding it is discovered at the medical and is far worse.
- Bring any medical documents for past surgeries or hospitalisations with you to the medical day.
The fitness component
Some colleges test basic physical fitness at admission or in the first weeks; others only require the medical clearance. The published pattern of your target college decides.
- Expect the ordinary: running, push-ups, sit-ups, standing broad jump — nothing a 12-year-old cannot train for gently over months.
- Daily outdoor play is the real preparation. A child who plays cricket or football most days will meet these standards without special training.
- Do not start aggressive training regimes right before admission — injuries before the medical are self-inflicted failures.
How to prepare — the honest timeline
None of this is complicated, but it all needs months, not weeks. Here is the order that actually works.
- 6–12 months out: eye test, dental check-up, general paediatric check-up. Fix what is fixable.
- Build the routine: regular meals, 8+ hours sleep, daily outdoor play. This is the whole 'fitness prep'.
- The month before: nothing new — no crash diets, no intense training, no skipped meals. Arrive rested.
- On the day: documents for any past medical care, glasses if prescribed (bring them even if unsure), and breakfast.