Delhi Schools Revise Admission Age Criteria in Line with NEP 2020

The Delhi government is set to enforce a standardized age for admission to Class 1 at 6+ years across all forms of schools from the 2026-27 academic session. This measure aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to create uniformity in educational age requirements.

In a move that will be introduced gradually, the Directorate of Education (DoE) outlines that the foundational stage currently consists of Nursery and KG, followed by Class 1, with minimum entry ages being 3+, 4+, and 5+ years respectively. Come 2027-28, new classes named Lower KG and Upper KG will be established.

The DoE circular mandates school heads to inform parents about these changes and ensures compliance. A slight age flexibility for admissions can be granted by school heads. The transitional phase allows current students to advance under the old criteria, while new admissions will abide by the revised framework.