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What is the age limit for Class 1 in India?
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday has directed all States and Union Territories to fix the minimum age for admission to Class I at six years. For example in States like Delhi, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu the minimum age for admission to Class I is five years.
In Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal the minimum age is already six years. One of the key components of the National Education Policy 2020 is the restructuring of the 10+2 system with that of the 5+3+3+4 system, bringing in early childhood education into formal education. The union ministry of education has asked the States and UTs to align their age to admission in schools with that of the National Education Policy 2020 and provide admission to class I at the age of six years and above.
As per the 5+3+3+4, the first stage (foundational) is for students between the age of three to eight (classes pre-school/ anganwadi upto II). The second stage (preparatory) is for age group eight to 11, which is for classes III to V. Next level (middle school) for ages 11 to 14, which covers classes VI to VIII and last phase (secondary school) is for ages 14 to 18 for classes IX to XII.
At present, for States like Karnataka and Goa it is five years and 10 months. However, the respective State governments have mandated six years to be the minimum age for admission to class I from the academic year 2025. According to a senior MoE official, the 5+3+3+4 envisaged in the policy promotes seamless learning and development of children from pre-school to class 2.
“This can only be done by ensuring accessibility to three years of quality preschool education for all children studying in Anganwadis or government, government-aided, private and NGO-run preschool centres.” In October last year the Government launched the national curriculum framework for education of children aged 3-8 years, the first of the four NCFs.
And on Monday, union education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched the ‘Jaadui Pitara’ – learning material for foundational years containing contains playbooks, activity books, worksheets, toys, handbooks for teachers and trainers, flashcards, story cards, posters, puzzles, puppets, and children magazines.
“It is an innovative, child-centric learning pedagogy that will prepare young children for the life-long journey of learning and fulfill one of the most vital recommendations of new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020,” said Pradhan at the launch. In the Supreme Court in April 2022 during the hearing of an appeal by a group of parents challenging the minimum age of six years for admission to class I in Kendriya Vidyalayas, a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh remarked that “There is a kind of rush to send children to schools.
- Parents want to start as soon as their children are two years old.
- This may not be conducive to their psychological health.”.
- The MoE officials said the most important factor at the foundational stage is the availability of qualified teachers who are especially trained in the age and developmentally-appropriate curriculum and pedagogy.
The ministry has advised states to initiate the process of designing and running a two-year diploma in preschool education (DPSE) course in their respective jurisdiction. “The course is expected to be designed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and run or implemented through District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs) under supervision and hold of SCERTs,” the official said.
What is the minimum age for Class 1 in India?
School admission: Minimum age for Class 1 to be 6 years, Govt tells states, UTs Key Highlights
- Students can only be admitted to Class 1 at the age of six years and above, the Ministry of Education told States and Union Territories
- The decision has been welcomed by parents and teachers who believe that the move will reduce the academic pressure on students
- The Ministry has also advised states to initiate the process of designing and running a two-year diploma in preschool education (DPSE) course in their respective jurisdiction
Students can only be admitted to Class 1 at the age of six years and above, the Ministry of Education told States and Union Territories on Wednesday. The foundational stage, as defined by the new National Education Policy (NEP), consists of five years of learning opportunities for all children (between 3 to 8 years), including three years of preschool education followed by Class 1 and 2.
- The ministry has directed state governments and UT administrations to align their age to admission with the policy and provide admission to class 1 at the age of six years and above, the official added.
- The decision has been welcomed by parents and teachers who believe that the move will reduce the academic pressure on students.
- President of Delhi Parents Association Aparajita Gautam said the new policy will lighten the academic pressure on students.
Children will not be focusing only on bookish knowledge from now on, Gautam told PTI, “They will not be under pressure of studies as well. This new policy has been drafted very beautifully and we welcome this step. We have been eagerly waiting for the National Education Policy (NEP) to be implemented.” Principal of ITL public school Sudha Acharya said the new policy will benefit students further.
- Meanwhile, the Ministry has also advised states to initiate the process of designing and running a two-year diploma in preschool education (DPSE) course in their respective jurisdiction.
- “The course is expected to be designed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and run or implemented through District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs) under supervision and hold of SCERTs,” he said.
- (With PTI inputs)
- Also Read:
Published on: Feb 23, 2023, 8:24 AM IST Posted by: Smriti Mishra, Feb 23, 2023, 8:15 AM IST
What age is perfect for class 1?
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| 5 THINGS FIRST |
| US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to visit India for G20 meetings; Asia Economic Dialogue, a flagship event of Ministry of External Affairs, to be held from today; UN special emergency session likely to adopt draft resolution for ceasefire in Ukraine; 2-day Invest Punjab Summit in Mohali; Semi-final of Women’s T20 World Cup – Australia Vs India |
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| 1. Has a ‘victory’ in Delhi come at a price for AAP? |
| AAP’s Shelly Oberoi defeated BJP’s Rekha Gupta to become the mayor of Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Wednesday – a victory that coincidentally came on a day when the Union Home Ministry granted prosecution sanction to the CBI against Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia in a case of alleged “political snooping” through a feedback unit set up in 2015 by the AAP government to check corruption. Read more here, Political fight
The more AAP will grow, the more cases will be filed against its leaders, said Sisodia on Wednesday reacting to the development. “Filing false cases against one’s rivals is a sign of a weak and cowardly person.”Delhi BJP on Wednesday demanded that the CBI immediately arrest Sisodia and also probe the role of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.This is the second major CBI probe against Sisodia. Last year, CBI named him in the FIR in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Read more here, Now, meet the Mayor A former visiting assistant professor at Delhi University, 39-year-old Shelly Oberoi joined AAP in 2013. She is a first-time councillor from East Patel Nagar. Oberoi, on Wednesday, polled 150 votes out of the total 266 votes polled.Also, AAP’s Aaley Mohammed Iqbal was elected deputy mayor. Read more here,AAP chief Kejriwal dubbed Wednesday’s outcome as “victory for people of Delhi”. The story so far The results came after around two months of political tussle and three failed attempts by the MCD to hold the mayoral polls. The sessions were adjourned either because of dispute over nominated members or due to sloganeering triggering ruckus.The AAP moved the Supreme Court. The top court had on February 17 ordered the issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening a meeting of the MCD to fix the date of elections for the mayor, deputy mayor and members of the standing committee of the civic body.The AAP emerged as a winner in the MCD polls on December 7, 2022, bagging 134 wards and ending the BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body. While BJP won 104 wards to finish second, Congress won nine seats. |
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| 2. Uddhav must wait as Sena stays with Shinde for now |
| Uddhav must wait
The Supreme Court refused to stay the Election Commission’s order on Wednesday, recognising the Eknath Shinde faction as the original Shiv Sena and allowing it to retain the party’s name and use its election symbol.Uddhav Thackeray had filed a plea against the EC order. The SC issued notice to the Shinde camp, seeking response in two weeks. Bank accounts and assets “They were deciding under the Symbols Order,” CJI Chandrachud told Uddhav’s counsel Kapil Sibal, who argued, “But tomorrow the Shinde group can say ‘we are the party’ and take over everything. They are doing that.”CJI said, “If something is part of the EC order, we can certainly look at that All this do not form part of the order. The EC order is confined to the allotment of the symbol.” The whip question The Uddhav camp told the SC that it feared that the Shinde faction, with recognition as the “real” Shiv Sena, would issue a whip and even disqualify him if he did not comply with it.The SC ordered the status quo on all matters except the use of the party’s name and election symbol. Why this worry The Shinde camp held its national executive meeting on Tuesday, vesting all decision-making powers with CM Eknath Shinde.A disciplinary committee has also been formed to tackle cases of anti-party activities and to ensure party members and workers follow a code of conduct. However, no decision was taken on appointing a new president of the party, a post held by Uddhav Thackeray till January this year, when his term ended.Shinde said the party would not stake claim to anyone’s property or funds. More here |
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| 3. A US city bans caste discrimination |
| What
Seattle has become the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after its local council passed a resolution, moved by an Indian-American politician and economist, to add caste to its non-discrimination policy. India banned caste discrimination in 1948 and enshrined that policy in the Constitution in 1950. Who The resolution moved by Kshama Sawant was approved by the Seattle City Council by six to one vote. The results of the vote could have far-reaching implications on the issue of caste discrimination in the US.”It’s official: our movement has won a historic, first-in-the-nation ban on caste discrimination in Seattle! Now we need to build a movement to spread this victory around the country,” Sawant, a city council member, told PTI. How Equality Labs, the brain behind the anti-caste discrimination resolution in Seattle, has been spearheading a nationwide campaign. It has created a coalition of some 200 organisations in support of its efforts over the issue. “Central to this coalition is a network of more than 30 anti-caste Ambedkarite organisations,” Equality Labs said. Key support Hours ahead of the vote, Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal lent her support to the move. Challenge The Hindu American Foundation, which had campaigned against the resolution, said singling out South Asians and the addition of ‘caste’ to the non-discrimination policy violates the very policies it now amends. Attacks & vandalism Many Indian-Americans, however, fear that codifying caste in public policy will further fuel instances of Hinduphobia in the US.Over the last three years, 10 Hindu temples and five statues, including those of Mahatma Gandhi and Maratha emperor Shivaji, have been vandalised across the US as an intimidation tactic against the Hindu community. |
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| 4. How deeply do ‘geopolitical concerns’ affect India’s economy |
| Stock market
Benchmark Sensex tanked 927 points while the broader Nifty settled at a four-month low on Wednesday due to an intense selling in heavyweight stocks triggered by geopolitical and inflation concerns.The BSE Sensex tumbled 927.74 points or 1.53 per cent to settle at 59,744.98, the lowest closing level since February 1. Losses in global equities and across-the-board selling ahead of the monthly expiry of derivatives also hit the investor sentiment, dragging down the key indices for a fourth straight day.With that, the ongoing crisis in Adani Group stocks deepened further on Wednesday, with all 10 stocks from billionaire Gautam Adani’s empire ending in the red. Today’s loss in market valuation was worth around Rs 51,294 crore. RBI’s measures There is considerable uncertainty on inflation trajectory due to geopolitical tensions and other issues, reported news agency PTI on Wednesday, citing Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das from the minutes of the monetary policy committee meeting held earlier this month.A 25-basis-point rate hike, which was implemented earlier this month, provides space to calibrate future monetary policy actions based on evolving conditions, as per the minutes cited by PTI. It also quoted the deputy governor saying the global outlook has complicated the fight against inflation. Reality check As per data released by the National Statistical Office on February 13, India’s annual retail inflation again breached RBI’s upper tolerance limit and touched a three-month high of 6.52% in January, mainly due to higher prices in the food basket, including cereals and protein-rich items.Earlier this month, RBI raised the key short-term rate (repo) by 25 basis points to 6.5% with an aim to check price rise. The RBI has projected retail inflation at 6.5% in 2022-23.The likelihood of more rate hikes, which had diminished after two previous inflation prints of below 6%, has now increased as the latest figure confirms the RBI’s fear, economists said. |
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| 6. Finally, Rahul shows up in the Northeast |
| Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his relationship with the Adani group, claiming that whenever the PM goes abroad, the conglomerate gets a “gift”. “He (Adani) owns ports, airports; he does constructions; he works for the defence sector; he dominates the apple trade in Himachal Pradesh,” Gandhi said. Maiden rally
Rahul was addressing an election rally in Meghalaya, his maiden one in the northeastern state. This was also his first major public event after Bharat Jodo Yatra. Top guns missing The Wayanad MP was missing in the party’s campaigning in Tripura where polling was held on February 16. The Congress joined a pre-poll alliance with the Left In Tripura.The top Congress leadership had been absent from the campaign scene in the three northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland barring party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who addressed an election rally in Nagaland on Tuesday. Meghalaya and Nagaland go to polls on February 27 and the counting of votes is scheduled for March 2. Former Congress bastions Barring Tripura, the rest of the northeast used to be a Congress stronghold until the BJP and its allies started forming governments. In the 2018 Tripura polls, the BJP had brought an end to 25 years of Left rule.In Meghalaya, the NPP led by Conrad Sangma had formed a coalition government ending almost a decade of Congress rule. The grand old party suffered another setback when 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs, including former CM Mukul Sangma, had defected to the Trinamool Congress in 2021.Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio was a prominent Congress leader before he joined the Naga People’s Front (NPF) in 2002. He now leads the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), a BJP ally. |
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| 8. Singer asks ‘UP mein ka ba’, police send her a questionnaire |
| What
Neha Singh Rathore, a popular Bhojpuri singer known for her satire songs, got UP police knocking at her doors on Tuesday night over her latest release on social media. In her latest song, Rathore has taunted the UP government and the Kanpur administration over a recent eviction drive that led to the death of a 45-year-old woman, Pramila Dixit, and her 20-year-old daughter, Neha. Pramila and Neha had died after their hut was set on fire, allegedly by the police last week. ‘Disharmony and tension’ Rathore uploaded a variation of her viral song series, ‘UP mein ka ba (what’s there in UP)’ on YouTube, blaming the government and the police for the Kanpur deaths. The police’s notice said the song “created a situation of disharmony and tension” in society. “If your reply is not found satisfactory, a case will be registered. and proper legal investigation will be carried out.”Rathore has to answer, in three days, questions related to the composition, singing and uploading of the song on the internet. Singer responds “I am not scared. I live in a democratic country,” said Rathore, But the family is under a lot of stress due to all this, she said.”I am just a folk singer. This is intolerance. The idea is to scare away every voice of dissent or criticism.” Political support Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia took to Twitter in support of Rathore, criticising the UP government for the action against the singer.While Akhilesh parodied a political version of the song, Sisodia wrote, “Is the BJP so scared of the voice of a folk singer? Embarrassing. This is very shameful.” |
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| 9. When Nitish schooled a farmer who ‘spoke English’ |
| What
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reprimanded an upwardly mobile farmer for using “too many English words” at an event in Patna. The farmer was sharing his experience of giving up his corporate job to take up cultivation of mushrooms in Bihar.Amit Kumar, a management graduate and a farmer from Lakhisarai, was narrating his journey from being a professional to becoming a farmer at the Bapu Sabhagar auditorium, the venue for the inauguration of the “fourth agriculture roadmap” of the Bihar government.A few minutes into his speech, the agro-entrepreneur was stopped by Nitish. ‘Is it England?’ Nitish said, “I want to point out to you the incongruity of using so many English words. Is this England? You are working in Bihar, practising agriculture which is the profession of the common folks.””A smartphone addiction during the Covid-induced lockdowns has led many people to forget their own languages.””What is this? Can you not say sarkaari yojana? I am an engineer by training and my medium of instruction was English. But it is another thing to use the language for academic pursuits. Why must you do so in day-to-day life?” ‘Why subalterns using English’ While the farmer resumed his speech in Hindi after apologising for speaking English, BJP cried foul over Nitish’s objection. BJP’s OBC Morcha leader Nikhil Anand said, “Is Chief Minister Nitish Kumar annoyed with the English language itself or with its usage by the subalterns? His objection to the use of English words in a public address is absolutely ridiculous.””Carried away by the passion of daydream, Nitishji is suffering from political hysteria.” Watch here |
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| Answer to NEWS IN CLUES |
| Vivek Ramaswamy: Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has launched his 2024 presidential bid with a promise to “put merit back” and end dependence on China, becoming the second community member to enter the Republican Party’s presidential primary after Nikki Haley. Ramaswamy, 37, announced his presidential bid on Tuesday during a live interview on Fox News’s prime time show of Tucker Carlson, a conservative political commentator. Read more here, |
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What is the best age for Grade 1?
School-Readiness Testing – (Service) Children usually start Grade 1 in the year in which they turn seven. Children who will be turning six during the year can start school if they are shown to be ready for school. The Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) has developed a screening test for younger children to find out whether they are ready for school.
What class is a 7 year old in India?
There are 14 states and Union Territories that allow Class 1 admission for children who have not completed six years. (File/Representational image) Listen to this article Raise minimum age of admission for Class 1 to 6 years: Centre to states, UTs x The Ministry of Education has made another attempt to get all the states and Union Territories to adopt six years as the minimum age for admission to Class 1 in step with the stipulation in the National Education Policy.
In a letter to the state governments and the Union Territory administrations, the ministry’s Department of School Education and Literacy has reiterated its directions issued several times since the NEP was launched in 2020. According to a response furnished by the Centre in the Lok Sabha in March 2022, there are wide variations in the age criteria among states when it comes to admission to Class 1.
There are 14 states and Union Territories that allow Class 1 admission for children who have not completed six years. For instance, in Assam, Gujarat, Puducherry, Telangana and Ladakh, children who have turned five can get admitted to Class 1. In Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Kerala the minimum age is five plus.
The latest communication from the Centre to the states and UTs went out on February 9. On previous occasions, the Centre pointed out that not aligning the minimum age with the NEP stipulation was affecting the measurement of net enrolment ratios in different states. “This anomaly also results in the incorrect reporting of the enrolment of children in age-appropriate classes and hence the incorrect reporting of underage and overage children, thus affecting the net enrolment ratios in different states and at the national level, as well as difficulties in the interstate movement of students and for appearing in various competitive exams,” the ministry told the Lok Sabha on March 28, 2022.
The states and UTs were also requested to prepare a roadmap to ensure smooth transition over the next two-three years. However, with very little progress made on this front, the Centre has once again reached out to the state governments. The NEP 2020, which envisages a 5+3+3+4 school system, states that the first five years comprise three years of pre-school corresponding to the age groups of three-six years and two years of Classes 1 and 2 corresponding to the age group of six-eight years.
However, with no such explicit provision in the Right to Education Act 2009, which states that every child of the age of 6-14 years shall have a right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till the completion of elementary education (defined as education from the first class to the eighth under the Act), many are reluctant to make the switch.
In 2022, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, which comes under the Centre, raised the minimum age for admission to Class 1 to six years. The move was challenged in the Delhi High court and the Supreme Court, where it was upheld.
What is the age limit for class 1 in Delhi?
Teachers, meanwhile, said it was important to standardise schooling age among students across the country, but financial and infrastructural implications of the addition of one more standard before class 1 need to be assessed. (Representational/File) Next academic session onwards, Delhi school students may have to study three classes — instead of the existing two — before they are eligible for Class 1.
This comes as the Directorate of Education (DoE) has expressed its intention to adopt the restructuring envisioned in the National Education Policy-2020, starting with the foundation stage covering ages 3 to 8 years, from the academic session 2024-25. The DoE has invited suggestions in this regard from various stakeholders, including teachers, parents, students, school management committees, educational institutions, school associations, professionals, subject experts, scholars and general public to make the process “inclusive and participative”.
An official statement by the DoE Monday stated: “National Education Policy 2020 aims at transforming the whole education system In the context of school education, NEP 2020 recommends shifting from 10+2 structure to 5+3+3+4 covering ages 3-18 yrs and emphasises upon developmental perspectives suggesting curricular and pedagogical shifts at different stages — foundational, preparatory, middle and secondary.” The foundational level includes three years of pre-school/ Balvatika/Anganwadi schooling for students between ages three and six years, and two years — class 1 and 2 — for students between age groups of six and eight.
- The preparatory level includes classes 3 to 5 for students between 8 and 11 years of age whereas middle and secondary levels include classes between 6 and 8, and 9 to 12 for students aged 11-14 years and 14-18 years, respectively.
- Under the new curricular structure as per NEP, admissions will start at the age of 3+ years in the lowermost class and will proceed to the next class at the age of 4+ years and further to the next higher class at the age of 5+ years.
After three years of schooling, students will proceed to Class 1 at the age of 6+ years. In the present structure, a student is eligible for Class 1 at the age of five, right after nursery and kindergarten. Teachers, meanwhile, said it was important to standardise schooling age among students across the country, but financial and infrastructural implications of the addition of one more standard before class 1 need to be assessed.
Standardisation is important otherwise, in cases of transfer and other things, children suffer at times. One country should have one age structure. (However) while adding another class at pre-school level, the question arises about infrastructure. The rooms, the teachers etc. How viable will it be? We will have to see this once the order comes.
Not all schools have extra rooms to accommodate additional sections,” said Minakshi Kushwaha, Principal of Birla Niketan, Pushp Vihar, Delhi, Suruchi Gandhi, Principal of Bal Bharti Public School, said minimum age of starting school needed to be four years, not three: “NEP 2020 talks about skill development, vocational subjects, carpentry, sewing etc and all these require extra rooms teachers, outdoor spaces Where do our schools have buildings to accommodate all this? In terms of logistics also, we have a restructure which has to be approved by the DoE every year.
What is the age for 1st standard in Tamil Nadu?
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday directed all states and Union Territories to fix the minimum age for admission to class I at six years. At present, the minimum age of admission is not uniform. For example in Delhi, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu the minimum age for admission to class I is five years.
- In UP, Maharashtra and West Bengal the minimum age is already six years.
- One of the key components of the National Education Policy 2020 is the restructuring of the 10+2 system with that of the 5+3+3+4 system, bringing in early childhood education into formal education.
- The education ministry has asked the states and UTs to align their age to admission in schools with that of NEP 2020 and provide admission to class I at the age of six years and above.
As per the 5+3+3+4, the first stage (foundational) is for students between the age of three to eight (classes pre-school/ anganwadi upto II). The second stage (preparatory) is for age group eight to 11, which is for classes III to V. Next level (middle school) for ages 11 to 14, which covers classes VI to VIII and last phase (secondary school) is for ages 14 to 18 for classes IX to XII.
