Delhi Schools To Admit Only 6+ Year-Olds In Class 1 From Next Year: What It Means For Early Learners

New Delhi:

Learning the alphabet, counting to ten, or naming colours- the early years of schooling shape far more than what's in textbooks. Soon, Delhi's youngest learners will begin that journey a little later.

Starting from the 2026-27 academic session, all government, aided and recognised private schools under the Delhi Directorate of Education will admit children into Class 1 only if they have completed six years of age by March 31 of the year of admission.

The move, announced through an official circular last week, aligns Delhi's school system with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises age-appropriate, play-based learning in the foundational years.

A New Age Ladder For Foundational Learning

Under the revised structure, the early schooling ladder will look like this:

- Nursery (Balvatika 1): 3-4 years

- Lower KG (Balvatika 2): 4-5 years

-Upper KG (Balvatika 3): 5-6 years

-Class 1: 6-7 years

The Education Department has allowed a relaxation of up to one month above or below the cut-off age for admission to these levels. The change will not affect students already enrolled before the 2026-27 session.

Officials say the restructuring will be introduced in a phased manner, with Lower and Upper KG (Balvatika 2 and 3) added to government schools from 2027-28.

Why The Change Matters

For decades, Delhi schools followed varying age norms-some admitting children to Class 1 as young as five. Experts have long argued that this variation led to uneven cognitive and emotional readiness among students, often visible in the early primary years.

Tania Joshi, Principal of The Indian School, said the change was "long overdue." "The age for Class 1 being six years is going to be beneficial in the long run. As the saying goes, 'don't be in a hurry to grow up' holds true here. A year's delay gives children time to develop their psycho-social and motor skills more fully," she said.

Learning Before Learning

For teachers, the shift means more time to focus on play, socialisation, and foundational skills before formal academics begin. "This is a positive, child-centred move," said Shikha Sharma, a Class 1 teacher in Delhi. "When children spend an extra year in the foundational stage, we can strengthen their fine motor and language skills before they enter a formal classroom structure."

Parents, too, see an advantage in pacing childhood rather than rushing it. Dr Harsimran Kaur, whose son studies in Class 1, said, "The early years are for cognitive growth. If a child starts school later, they'll handle pressure better later in life, especially during competitive exams. The maximum neural growth happens till the age of eight; this period should be about experiential learning."

The Science Of Starting Later

Child psychiatrists say the decision is grounded in developmental research. "It's a wonderful move to understand children better," said Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Senior Psychiatrist at Moolchand Hospital. "Formative maturity improves by age six. Play is social learning; it's how children learn to regulate emotions and build intelligence. At six, that capacity becomes stronger, so formal learning becomes more effective."

Balancing Policy And Practice

According to the Delhi government, the uniform age structure aims to ensure "cognitive alignment and pedagogic consistency" across schools. It also addresses a persistent gap between Delhi's government and CBSE-affiliated private schools, many of which had already adopted the 6+ norm following CBSE guidelines.

However, implementing the change will require coordination. Schools will need to restructure their admission timelines, communicate the new criteria to parents, and prepare for an additional pre-primary class.

What Comes Next

For now, the city's youngest learners will continue with the current system. But come 2026, no child younger than six will enter Class 1.