A collective of concerned parents representing over 2.30 lakh children across Karnataka has renewed its appeal to the state government, seeking a 90-day relaxation in the Class 1 age cut-off criteria to prevent thousands of children from losing an academic year.
The issue traces back to November 2022, when the Karnataka government raised the minimum age for Class 1 admission to six years as of June 1, replacing the earlier criterion of 5 years and 5 months with a 60-day relaxation. As a result, children who were admitted to pre-primary education before the circular came into effect are now being deemed ineligible for progression to Class 1 if they fall short of the new age requirement by even a few days.
Parents argue that more than 2.30 lakh children admitted in 2022 are now being forced to repeat UKG or Montessori-3 despite having completed three to four years of pre-primary education and being academically ready for Grade 1.
Impact on children and families
Parents say the affected children were born during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period marked by fear, uncertainty and disruption. They argue that imposing additional procedural hurdles on this batch is unfair, given the extraordinary circumstances during which they were born and raised.
They further highlight concerns over cognitive and psychological impact.
The financial burden is also significant, with families required to bear the cost of an additional year of schooling.
Interim relief sought amid SEP delay
In August 2023, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the state would scrap the National Education Policy 2020 and implement a State Education Policy (SEP). The SEP Commission, headed by Sukhadeo Thorat, was constituted in October 2023. Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa later stated that the SEP would be implemented from the academic year 2026-27.
Parents point out that even when the SEP was in draft form last year, a relaxation of nearly six to seven months was granted to the previous batch. With the SEP report formally submitted in August 2025 but implementation still pending, they are now urging the government to grant a 90-day relaxation in the Grade 1 age cut-off until the new policy comes into force.
They say most schools close Class 1 admissions by March 2026 and are currently awaiting government orders, making the matter urgent.
Parents have also drawn comparisons with states such as Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Puducherry, which provide flexibility in the Grade 1 age cut-off, allowing children born in later months of the year to enroll. In contrast, Karnataka's rigid June 1 cut-off leaves children born just days or weeks later ineligible, forcing them to repeat a year.
Petitions submitted, response awaited
The parents' collective states that petitions have been submitted since December 2024 to the Chief Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Principal Secretary, Child Rights Commission, SEP Chairman for School Education and Commissioners for Public Instruction, both former and present.
They are now seeking two immediate measures: a relaxation to enable progression for all children who have completed three years of pre-primary education to move to Grade 1 without repeating UKG or Montessori-3, and fast-tracking of their appeal before the academic admission deadline.
Swathi, one of the parents leading the campaign, said "there are almost 2.3 lakh children who are barely missing the cut-off by five days, 10 days or even one day. Imagine a child whose birthday is on June 2. We are only requesting what was promised. Please do not let our children go through emotional trauma. They understand why their friends are moving ahead and they are not. We humbly request the government to implement the 90-day relaxation."
With admissions nearing closure, parents say they are hopeful that the government will act swiftly to ensure that thousands of children do not lose an academic year.