A two-month age relaxation will be granted to children seeking admission to Grade 1 who have not yet reached six years of age, Karnataka’s Minister for School Education, Madhu Bangarappa announced on Wednesday.

Addressing the ongoing legislative assembly session, Bangarappa stated that children who are currently five years and ten months old will be considered eligible for admission under this relaxation. He explained that the decision was taken after numerous parents and stakeholders approached him with concerns.

“Parents are running from pillar to post, confused about what to do as their child has not completed six years of age to qualify for Grade 1 admission. Hence, a two-month leeway will be provided this year,” he said. The minister added that these exemptions have been introduced for the academic year 2026–27 in accordance with provisions under the Section 20, Karnataka Education Act, 1983. The state is contemplating a regulation on the relaxation soon.

Karnataka fixed 6 years as the minimum age for Class 1 admission through a government circular issued in July 2022 by the Department of Public Instruction. The circular mandated that a child must have completed 6 years of age as on June 1 of the academic year to be eligible for admission in Class 1 in all government, aided, and private schools. This decision replaced the earlier rule (5 years 5 months) and was taken to align with the Right to Education (RTE) Act and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommend a structured foundational stage including pre-primary education before Class 1.

Bangarappa said there are challenges even regarding admissions into LKG and UKG. We will draft a policy regarding the same and find a permanent solution to this issue. He said the government is contemplating a separate policy and regulations for pre KGs as there is currently no regulation for these grades.

Subsequently, the government issued further clarification through a November 2022 circular, stating that the 6-year norm would be implemented from the academic year 2025–26 after a transition period. In later years, due to practical difficulties faced by parents and schools, the state granted temporary relaxations (e.g., allowing 5 years 5 months for 2025–26), but reiterated that the 6-year minimum age rule would be strictly enforced from 2026–27 onwards.

Even as most education experts support the 6-year minimum age requirement and in spite of several exemptions year on year, parents continue to seek admissions for their underage children into schools forming a bee line each year during admissions to seek exemptions.

“Age relaxation even after the High court’s intervention in the issue only makes way for unauthorized admissions in schools and is a deterrent for those schools who follow rules very strictly. This is not welcome. Every state in the country has adhered to the 6-year age mandate but Karnataka alone, in the name of relaxations has been left behind,” said D Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka.

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