Government amends age guidelines for school admissions

The requirement to maintain age continuity from first grade for admission into other classes has been removed

The government has revised age-related rules for student admission from first to ninth grade in public schools.

While the minimum age for first-grade admission remains five to seven years, the new policy removes the previous requirement that students entering higher classes must follow the same age continuity as those admitted in first grade.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education announced the change in an “urgent notice” on Wednesday.

The notification clarifies, “According to the National Education Policy 2010, admission to first grade must be ensured for students aged 6-plus. For the desired Academic Year, the minimum age as of Jan 1 will be five years, and the maximum as of Dec 31 will be seven years.”

As an example, for the 2026 Academic Year, eligible students must be born between Dec 31, 2018 and Jan 1, 2021. Admission applications must include a certified copy of the student’s online birth registration certificate to verify age. Students with special needs may be granted up to five additional years in age eligibility.

The earlier policy issued on Nov 13 had maintained age continuity for other classes based on first-grade admission. Admission applications for government and private schools are currently open, with the deadline set for Dec 5 at 5pm.