Delhi Directorate Of Education To Implement Age 6 Criteria For Class 1 Admissions

NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Education (DoE), GNCT of Delhi has asked all the authorities concerned to implement the minimum age requirement of 6 years for Class 1 admissions, starting from 2026-27 academic session, in alignment with the provisions of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The foundational stage has also been restructured to include three years of pre-primary education before Class 1.

The NEP 2020 replaced the 10 +2 structure with the 5+3+3+4 structure, reorganising school education into four developmental stages—five years of the foundational stage, three years of the preparatory stage, three years of the middle stage and four years of the secondary stage.

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

The Foundational Stages of school education will be reorganised as per the NEP 2020 and include three years of pre-primary education before Class 1.

Children will be admitted to Nursery (Bal Vatika/Preschool 1) at age 3, in Lower KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 2) at age 4, and the last pre-primary level includes Upper KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 3) for children aged 5.

“A child may be admitted to Class I only upon completion of 6 years of age from Academic Session 2026-27 onwards” a circular said.

To see the derailed circular, click here.

To make the process more inclusive and participatory, all stakeholders —teachers, parents, students, School Management Committees, educational institutions, school associations, professionals, subject experts, scholars and members of the general public— have been invited to share their suggestions before July 10, 2025.