Bengaluru: Following requests from parents, the state govt has relaxed the age criteria for class 1 admission for the academic year 2025-26. According to the new rule, children who are five years and five months old on June 1, 2025, and have completed UKG or equivalent level can enrol for class 1 in Karnataka schools following the state syllabus.
Parents had earlier sought a relaxation in the minimum age requirement of six years for admission to class 1.
Speaking at a press conference in Samagra Shikshana Karnataka on Wednesday, school education minister Madhu Bangarappa said the relaxation is applicable only for this year. From next year onwards, a child must be six years old by June 1 for class 1 admission.
The age-relaxation was based on a recommendation from the State Education Policy committee, the minister added.
“A child who has passed LKG or UKG and is five years and five months old, and a child who has completed three years in anganwadi and is five years and five months old, can be enrolled in class 1,” Bangarappa explained, adding that this is applicable for state syllabus schools only.
“Only state schools are under my ambit. It is up to the boards concerned to issue an order in this regard,” he said. If the state govt’s decision is not followed by central board schools, then parents can flag it with the govt and a petition can be submitted to these boards, the minister further said.
“Do not treat your children like machines. Let them enjoy their childhood,” he requested parents, asking them not to enrol their wards into schools before they reach the appropriate age.
In July 2022, the state govt had changed the minimum age required to enrol in class 1 from five years and five months to six years. Justifying the move, the school education department had then said it was in alignment with the Right to Education and National Education Policy.
However, parents and schools objected to it as admissions had already been completed for that academic year. Following protests, the department issued a circular in Nov 2022, stating that the new rule would be applicable only from 2025-26.However, those who had joined nursery (pre-KG, which is not prevalent in govt schools) in 2022-23 would not have met the age criteria in 2025-26. In view of this, parents approached the school education department, seeking exemption for the current batch.
Concerned parents pointed out that getting their children to repeat another year in kindergarten would not only translate into additional financial burden, but also result in emotional stress for the children as they would be unable to seek promotion.
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