Last Updated on June 14, 2024 by admin
On Thursday the Education Minister of Karnataka School BC Nagesh explained that the policy of placing six years as the age for children to get admission in class 1 will be applied only after two academic years, from 2025-26.
The Minimum Age for Class 1 Admission in Karnataka is Now 6 Years
The Karnataka High Court recently rejected a 4-year-old girl’s petition to join LKG class in 2023-24. The court upheld the state education department’s rule that the minimum age for Class 1 admission should be 6 years as on June 1. This aligns with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
What was the Case About?
A 4-year-old girl born in 2019 joined pre-KG class in 2021. In 2023, the school collected fees for LKG but later said she was ineligible. The school cited a new Karnataka government order fixing the minimum age for Class 1 at 6 years, to be enforced from 2025-26. The girl’s family challenged this in the High Court.
What was the Reasoning for Increasing the Minimum Age?
Earlier, the minimum age limit was 5 years and 5 months in Karnataka. The NEP 2020 recommends increasing this to 6 years. The idea is to ensure that children have adequate pre-primary education and exposure before entering primary school.
As per the NEP, the pre-primary stage is from age 3 to 6 years. The Karnataka education department wants to align with this guideline. Children will get an extra year of foundation before Class 1.
What are the Benefits of Increasing the Minimum Age?
- – Children will be better prepared for primary education after pre-primary schooling from age 3-6 years.
- – Extra year allows for stronger foundations in areas like languages, maths, motor skills.
- – Reduces pressure on younger children in Class 1 curriculum.
- – Brings Karnataka in line with the NEP 2020 vision.
When Will the New Rule be Implemented?
The rule will be enforced for admissions to Class 1 from the academic year 2025-2026. So children need to complete 6 years as on June 1, 2025 for admission to Class 1 in 2025-26.
A lot of parents who had admitted their children to LKG and UKG at an early age are worried about losing a year, if their child is not yet 6 years old when he/she comes to class 1.
Those Parents who have already admitted their kids have no need to worry about their children who have not completed the age limit of 6 years.
The Education Minister of Karnataka School BC Nagesh allows the kids to be promoted to class 1 for the current academic year, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Minister also said that according to education experts, it was not suitable to apply academic pressure on students under 6 years. Because the mental ability of kids aged is 5 and 6 has a lot of differences, BC Nagesh said that 23 states in India have already fulfilled this policy.
There is a 5 year and 5 month age limit at the moment. It is mandatory by the department of Karnataka education that children be six years of age to enter class 1 in schools in Karnataka should be six years as of 1st June 2022. The new rule applies to The commissioner of public instruction for prospective students.
A child under five years of age may not have the mental capacity to get concepts of class 1 said an officer with the education department. The child will stress out and it will be affected by psychological aspects.
The officer said. that it is not a right thing to snatch away the early childhood activities and pressurize them with academics at the age of 5 years,”