Thursday, May 24, 2018

Education Dept. reduces class 1 age limit by 5 months 

Staff Reporter 

 
Bengaluru, May 24, 2018 00:00 IST



The minimum age requirement for class 1 admissions has been brought down from 5 years 10 months to 5 years 5 months.File photo 


This has come too late for most parents as admissions for 2018-19 are over

With less than a week left for the 2018-19 academic year to begin, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education has revised the minimum age for students to be admitted to class 1.

An order issued by the department on Wednesday states that the minimum age requirement for class 1 admission has been brought down from 5 years 10 months to 5 years 5 months.

This move has been opposed by various stakeholders, including private schools and parents whose children are seeking admissions under the RTE quota. Most schools have already completed the process with only parents whose children were aged between 5 years 10 months and 6 years 10 months allowed to apply.

Parents argue that their children have missed a year as the order has come too late.

Rama S., a domestic worker whose daughter is 5 years 8 months, said she was not allowed to apply for admission to class 1 under the RTE quota because of the minimum age requirement. “This is too late and unfair for people like us. Will the department now redo the RTE admission process so that parents like me are allowed to apply for our children?”

Sources in the department said that the order was issued at the last minute so that enrolment in government schools increases. Officials also pointed out that many nursery schools admit children before they turn 3 years 10 months, and these children would not have crossed 5 years 10 months before commencement of the academic year.

Private school managements, too, have criticised the move. D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the association, said the department keeps modifying the rules each year causing long-term impact and confusion in the admission process.

This is too late for people like us. Will the department now redo the RTE admission process so that parents like me are allowed to apply for our children?

Rama S.,

a domestic worker whose daughter is 5 years 8 months

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