Directorate Of Education to enforce age 6 eligibility to enter Class 1

The Directorate of Education (DoE), Govt. of NCT of Delhi has instructed all the concerned institutions to adopt the minimum age condition of 6 years for admission to Class 1 from session 2026-27 in terms of provisions made under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The foundation stage has been reorganized to offer three years of pre-primary education prior to Class 1.

NEP 2020 substituted the 10+2 structure with the 5+3+3+4 structure, reclassifying the school education into four development stages: five years of foundation stage, three years of the preparation stage, three years of middle stage and four years of the secondary stage.

The DoE has directed all the Heads of Government, Government-Aided, and Recognized Unaided Private Schools to implement changes from the academic year 2026-27.

Pre-Primary Stages of school will be reorganized according to the NEP 2020 and will have three years of pre-primary school going before Class 1. The kids will be at Nursery (Bal Vatika/Preschool 1) age 3 years, Lower KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 2) age 4 years, and the final stage of pre-primary is Upper KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 3) age 5 years.

"A child will be eligible for Class I only if he/she reaches the age of 6 years from Academic Session 2026-27 onwards" the government circular stated.

For making it participatory and inclusive, all stakeholder groups concerned - schools, School Management Committees, school associations, students, teachers, professionals, subject experts, researchers, scholars, and members of general public were invited to provide their comments on or before July 10, 2025.