NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Education has once again written to six of the 36 States and Union Territories that are yet to adhere to the minimum admission age of six years for Class I, as mandated under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. On February 9, 2023, the Ministry had directed all States and UTs to align the age for admission to Class I with the NEP provision.
Education officials told reporters on Friday that Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh are yet to comply with this requirement. “We have written to these States repeatedly, asking them to abide by the criterion, and we continue to do so. Chhattisgarh has informed us that it will adopt the policy shortly,” a senior official said.
He added that these States continue to admit students to Class I at the age of five, as was the practice earlier. “Six years is what we consider the appropriate age for imparting formal school education. Three years of pre-primary education prior to that is necessary,” the official said.
The official also stressed the importance of a uniform criterion across the country, citing high inter-State mobility. “Student mobility becomes smoother when the same educational pattern and rules are followed nationwide,” he said.
Another official said that the revised NCERT textbooks for Classes IX and XI would be released in April 2026, ahead of the academic year. “The textbooks for Classes X and XII will be ready by April 2027,” he added.
Responding to a query on Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and Tamil Nadu’s refusal to allow such schools, the official said the State had been asked to hold discussions with the Union government on the matter.
Tamil Nadu is the only State without JNVs, which are operated by the Centre. The State has argued that the three-language policy followed in these schools conflicts with its two-language policy.
On December 16, 2025, the Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to consult the Union government on setting up JNVs across the State. The court also asked the State to assess the extent of land required for establishing such schools in every district.