Centre Directs States, UTs To Align Their Age Of Admission For Grade 1 To 6+ Years

The Ministry of Education has issued a directive to all State and Union Territory (UT) governments to align their age of admission the national education policy, which recommends that children must be 6 years old or above when they begin their early primary education.

The National Education Policy 2020 recommends strengthening of learning of children at the ‘foundational stage’ as a national priority for the country, the Education Ministry said on Wednesday (22 February).

The foundational stage consists of five years of learning opportunities for all children (between 3 to 8 years) that includes three years of pre-school education and two years of early primary Grade-I and Grade-II. 

The NEP 2020 promotes seamless learning and development of children from pre-school to Grade-II.

To achieve this, it is essential to ensure accessibility to three years of quality preschool education for all children studying in Anganwadis or government/government-aided, private, and NGO-run preschool centres, according to the ministry.

In addition, the availability of qualified teachers who are specially trained in age and developmentally appropriate curriculum and pedagogy is crucial to the foundational stage's success.

"To fulfill this vision, the Ministry of Education....has reiterated directions to all the State Governments and UT administrations to align their age to admission with the policy and provide admission to Grade-I at the age of 6+ years," the ministry said.

Further, to ensure that all children have access to quality pre-school education, the ministry has urged State and UT governments to iniagte the process to design and implement a two-year Diploma in Preschool Education (DPSE) course.

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be responsible for developing the curriculum, while District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) will oversee the course's implementation.