The rules state that students must be six years old to gain admission to Class 1 and therefore, any student being asked to repeat a grade is under age. , photo credit: special arrangement
As the admission season is round the corner, parents of children who are currently in pre-kindergarten classes, school managements are advising them to comply with the New Education Policy (NEP) and Right to Education (RTE) norms. Asking to repeat for one year. The rules state that students must be six years of age to gain admission to Class 1 and, therefore, any student being asked to repeat a grade is under age.
This rule will be applicable to students who will join class 1 from 2025. “The school is saying that by June 1, 2026, my son should be six years old to join class I. They are not allowing even a day’s delay (the one whose birthday is in June only). The school meeting took place, but remained inconclusive. I think my son should repeat most of the pre-kilograms now. There is no clarity yet,” said Sudha P, a resident of Chikkalasandra.
Parents also questioned why schools accept admission for children who were below the prescribed age for Pre-KG, if they knew of such a rule. Since the fee structure for Pre-KG is also similar to Kindergarten classes, parents are also worried about double spending.
“We are demanding that they give exemption to children who have already taken admission, and implement it from next year. The school disagrees and is blaming the government, while the government has left it up to the schools to decide whether or not the grades should be repeated. It is a waste of the entire academic year and the fees paid by us,” said Chaitra Prakash, a parent from Subramanyapura.
Some parents also expressed concern about how students who had to repeat a grade would feel left behind when their friends above their age range moved on to the next grade. “Today’s kids are very sensitive and observant. To reiterate, just because they fall short a few days or a few weeks, doesn’t mean anything,” commented one parent.
However, government officials are firm on the decision that students should be four years old when they join LKG, five years old when they join UKG and six years old by the time they start class I. “The rules in RTE clearly say that they should start LKG at the age of four. As the decision was taken mid year, the government has provided relaxation to some batches till 2025. Pre-Kilo is neither a formal class nor regulated by us. Even LKG and UKG is informal but registered,” said Vishal R, commissioner, Department of Public Instruction.
He also confirmed that there is no compulsion for parents to make their children repeat Pre-KG, LKG or UKG and instead include them in the eligible grade in the next academic year.