The Karnataka government has increased the age of enrolment in primary schools from 5 years and 5 months to 6 years for all schools — government, government aided, and unaided. This will be applicable from the next academic year.
The Department of School Education and Literacy has withdrawn the orders for 2017, 2018, and 2020 on the age of enrolment. The new order issued on Tuesday said a child who enrolls in a primary school should be of six years as of June 1 of that academic year. However, the order makes no mention of the cut-off age for pre-primary schools.
Since 2016-17, the government has issued five orders on the fixation of minimum age for school enrolment and the order on Tuesday is the sixth one.
Vishal R., Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction, said, “According to the RTE Act, 2009, the directions of the Government of India and the NEP 2020, children should be aged six by June 1 for Class I. We had submitted the proposal to the government as per this. Already, 21 States have done it. This age bracket will ensure that catch-up learning is proper among children of the appropriate age. This order will be applicable from the next academic year for all the schools.”
He added that this rule would be strictly followed. “In case a child is 5-years-and-11-months old, he/she will have to wait for one year to enroll.