Delhi to enforce 6+ years as minimum age for Class 1 admissions from 2026-27

New Delhi: The Delhi government has announced that children must be at least 6 years old to be admitted to Class 1 in all government, government-aided, and recognised private schools from the 2026-27 academic session. The decision aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends a uniform age for school admissions across the country.

According to a circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), the state will also revise the foundational stage age criteria in a phased manner starting next year. The current structure-comprising Nursery, Kindergarten (KG) and Class 1 with minimum admission ages of 3+, 4+ and 5+ years respectively-will be restructured under the new policy.

Under the revised system, the age limits as of March 31 of the academic year will be as follows:

Nursery (Balvatika 1 / Pre-School 1): 3 to 4 years
Lower KG (Balvatika 2 / Pre-School 2): 4 to 5 years
Upper KG (Balvatika 3 / Pre-School 3): 5 to 6 years
Class 1: 6 to 7 years

Schools will have the flexibility to grant up to one month of age relaxation in both minimum and maximum limits for admissions from Nursery to Class 1.

Transition plan

The DoE clarified that the new age criteria will not affect students enrolled in the 2025-26 academic year. Existing Nursery, KG and Class 1 students will continue under the current structure and will be promoted accordingly in 2026-27.

Admissions to KG for the 2026-27 session will be open only to children aged 4+ years as of March 31, 2026. Meanwhile, Lower KG and Upper KG classes will be introduced in the 2027-28 session, following the revised framework.

Students transferring from recognised schools with a School Leaving Certificate (SLC) and valid mark sheet will be exempt from strict age criteria while seeking admission to higher classes.

Implementation and compliance

The Directorate has instructed all school heads to inform parents about these upcoming changes and ensure strict adherence to the new age norms for admission and student progression.

Education officials said the move aims to bring Delhi’s school admission policy in line with the national standard, ensuring a consistent and age-appropriate learning experience for children in the foundational years.

(with agency inputs)