In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Union ministry of education has instructed all states and Union territories to set the minimum age for admission to Class 1 at six years, the ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday.
According to NEP-2020, the foundational stage comprises five years of learning opportunities for all children (aged 3 to 8), including three years of preschool education followed by Classes 1 and 2.
“The ministry has instructed state governments and UT administrations to align their age of admission with the policy and provide admittance to class 1 at the age of six or older,” a statement said.
It is stated that NEP 2020 encourages the learning and development of students from pre-school through second grade. “This can only be accomplished by guaranteeing that all children learning in anganwadis or government, government-aided, commercial, and NGO-run preschool centres have access to three years of quality preschool education,” the statement continued.
The Supreme Court stated a year ago that children should not be put to school at a very young age with their psychological and mental health in mind.
In March 2022, in response to a query in Lok Sabha, the ministry stated that the age requirements for admission to Class 1 vary widely between states, and that many states and UTs permit admission for children under the age of six.
The ministry also stated that the availability of qualified instructors who are properly trained in age- and developmentally-appropriate curriculum and pedagogy is the most crucial aspect at the fundamental level. Hence, it has also recommended states to commence the process of establishing and implementing a two-year diploma in preschool education (DPSE) programme in their respective territories.
“The course is anticipated to be prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and operated or executed by the District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs) under the supervision and control of SCERTs,” according to the statement.
