The Delhi government will enforce a uniform admission age of 6+ years for Class 1 across all government, government-aided, and recognized unaided private schools under the Directorate of Education from academic session 2026-27, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Delhi School Revised Age Structure
According to a DoE circular, the foundational stage will be restructured in a phased manner. Currently comprising Nursery and KG followed by Class 1 with minimum admission ages of 3+, 4+, and 5+ respectively, the revised structure establishes minimum and maximum ages (as on March 31):
- Nursery (Balvatika 1/Pre-School 1): 3-4 years
- Lower KG (Balvatika 2/Pre-School 2): 4-5 years
- Upper KG (Balvatika 3/Pre-School 3): 5-6 years
- Class 1: 6-7 years
School heads may grant age relaxation up to one month in both minimum and maximum limits for Nursery through Class 1 admissions.
Implementation Timeline
The new age criteria will not apply to students in the current 2025-26 academic session. Lower KG and Upper KG will be introduced only from 2027-28. Students in Nursery, KG, and Class 1 during 2025-26 will be promoted according to the current structure in 2026-27.
New KG admissions in 2026-27 will be open to children aged 4+ years as of March 31, 2026.
Exemptions
Students possessing valid School Leaving Certificates and mark sheets from recognized schools will be exempted from age-appropriate criteria when seeking admission to the next higher class.
From academic session 2027-28, Lower KG (Balvatika 2/Pre-School 2) and Upper KG (Balvatika 3/Pre-School 3) will be formally introduced, with admissions following the specified age criteria.
Communication Requirements
The circular noted school heads were previously informed about foundational stage restructuring and uniform Class 1 admission age.
The Directorate has directed all school heads to clearly inform parents about these changes and ensure strict compliance with revised age criteria for admissions and student progression.
Policy Alignment
The changes align with NEP 2020’s emphasis on age-appropriate learning and structured foundational education, aiming to standardize admission practices across Delhi’s diverse school landscape while ensuring developmental readiness for formal academics.
