Whether as per Education policy 2020 minimum age of a child to get admission in Class1 in both Government and Private schools is 6 years?
Centre instructs states to fix 6 years as minimum age for Class 1 admission
Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, in a letter dated 15.02.2024, with reference to D.O. letter No. 9-2/20- IS-3 dated 31.03.2021 followed by D.O. letter of even number dated 09.02.2023, requested all states/UTs to ensure that the age of admission to Grade 1 is 6+ years from the 2024-25 session onwards. This is as per the provisions in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Class-1-Grade-1-Admission-Minimum-Maximum-Age
The Government of India has told all states and Union Territories to make sure that children must be at least six years old to join Class 1. This rule follows the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which say that the first five years of school should include three years of preschool and two years of Classes 1 and 2 for kids aged six to eight years.
The Education Ministry sent a letter to the states and Union Territories, reminding them of this rule, which they have mentioned several times since 2020. They also sent a similar notice last year. The ministry’s letter, dated February 15, mentioned that new school admissions would start soon for the 2024-25 session. They expect that by now, the age for starting Grade 1 should be at least six years old in every state and Union Territory.
In March 2022, the government had shared with the Lok Sabha (India’s lower house of Parliament) that 14 states and Union Territories, including Assam, Gujarat, Puducherry, and others, were admitting children to Class 1 even if they hadn’t turned six years old yet.
The government has previously mentioned that not following this age rule could cause problems in accurately calculating the number of students enrolled in schools across different states.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-342
ANSWERED ON- 06/12/2023
EDUCATION POLICY 2020
- DR. PRASHANTA NANDA
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether as per Education policy 2020 minimum age of a child to get admission in Class1 in both Government and Private schools is 6 years;
(b) whether Government is aware that in various parts of the country under 5 age
children are getting admission in class-1 in both Government and Private schools;
(c) if so, Government’s view in this regard; and
(d) the details of steps taken by Government to maintain minimum eligibility age criteria
of a child as 6 year to get admission in Class-1?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)
(a) Yes. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 vide para 4.1 inter-alia envisages a pedagogical structure of 5+3+3+4. The first five years comprise of 3 years of pre- school/ anganwadi/ balvatika corresponding to the age groups of 3-6 years and two years of Class 1 & 2 corresponding to the age group of 6-8 years.
(b) and (c) Education is in concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools in the country are under the administrative control of the State Governments and UT Administrations. States have their own State Education Acts/Regulations to run the schools coming under their jurisdiction. The States/UTs had prescribed different age criteria for admission in various classes in schools as per their norms. Due to anomaly in age criteria prescribed for admission in various classes in schools in different States and UTs, leading to difficulties being faced by students in seeking admissions in schools on inter-state movement or the eligibility age for appearing in various competitive exams, comments were sought from all the States and UTs regarding age of admission in various classes in schools. It was observed that 13 States/UTs were taking admission in class I at age 5+, whereas 21 States were taking at 6+. (d) To maintain minimum eligibility age criteria in view of the provisions of NEP, 2020, all the States Government and UT administrations have been requested, vide this Ministry’s DO letter No. 9-2/20-IS-3 dated 31.03.2021 to align their age of admission with the NEP, 2020 and provide for admission to class I in age 6+ years in order to bring uniformity in age of admission throughout the country. States were also advised to prepare a state wise roadmap to ensure smooth transition over next 2-3 years. Also vide this Ministry’s DO letter No. 22-7/2021-EE.19/IS.13 dated 09.02.2023 it was reiterated to ensure implementation of age criteria for admission to Grade I in age 6+
years in accordance with the recommendation of NEP, 2020.
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