Karnataka: Parents outraged over govt's 6-year age limit for class 1 admission
Parents in Karnataka are protesting new school admission age limits, which require children to be 4 by June 1 for LKG and 6 by June 1 for first grade. They argue the rules are unfair and demand flexibility. Officials insist on strict adherence, causing frustration and confusion among parents and leading some schools to provide false enrollment information.
FollowParents in Karnataka are voicing strong opposition to the state's recent changes in age limits for school admissions, calling the new rules unscientific and unfair. From the academic year 2023-24, children must be 4 years old by June 1 to enrol in Lower Kindergarten (LKG). Starting from the 2025-26 academic year, children must be 6 years old by June 1 to enroll in first grade.
Parents argue that these strict age limits are depriving children of timely education, especially those who miss the cutoff by just a day. Many are demanding a relaxation of a few months in the age limit to prevent their children from losing an entire year of schooling.
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Despite the uproar, private school representatives state that they are adhering to the new regulations and refuse to enrol children who do not meet the age requirements. This has left many parents frustrated, as they see their children being denied admission despite being nearly eligible.
In some cases, schools are reportedly enrolling children who are not yet 4 years old by providing false information. Parents are being misled to believe that there will be an official order allowing these enrollments. However, the education department insists that no such verbal instructions or orders have been given.
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Officials have clarified that information about LKG and UKG admissions cannot be entered into the department's web portal, but the details of children enrolled in the first grade must be recorded. This discrepancy is confusing and giving rise to false promises from some schools.
Senior education department officials have stated that the government is not considering any age relaxation. They urge parents not to be misled by incorrect information and to adhere to the current age regulations for school admissions.
