Parents in dilemma on minimum entry age for Class 1 admission

CHENNAI: While the school admissions are currently underway for the new academic year, most parents are perplexed by the minimum age for Class 1 admissions.

While the schools following Tamil Nadu syllabus have set the minimum age as 5 and above, the other syllabus like the central board has kept the minimum age as 6.

As the officials of Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE), any schools like the government, aided, private or matriculation followed the State syllabus can enroll their child in Class 1 at 5 plus years.

And, as per reports, a high-level committee framing the State Education Policy has also recommended age 5 as the common entry age for children in TN schools.

Interestingly, this will differ from the National Education Policy which has set the minimum age as 6 for all schools across the country.

A parent said, “I have been inquiring about schools and the minimum age of admission for enrolling my son in Class 1. And, I have been in a dilemma about the minimum age followed by schools with State syllabus as opposed to other syllabus.”

The parent further went on to urge both the State and Union governments to set the same age limit so that there is a flexibility in switching schools with different syllabus.

“It is a fair ask to the government to fix a uniform age for Class 1 admission for all schools regardless of the syllabus followed by the school. This will ensure an easy admission process and completion of Class 12 at the correct age, without causing any delay for college admissions,” added the parent.

Commenting on this, an official with DEE said, “At present, parents can admit their children who are at the age 5 and above in all schools, which follows State syllabus. There are no confusions or changes on this, sans the implementation of the education policy.”

Meanwhile, a Chennai-based child rights activist noted that the policy is not a law, but a guiding principle for effective implementation. “Hence, schools before strictly adhering to the policy, should take the cases subjectively and enroll children closer to the age mentioned in the policy.”

Both State and Centre have been urged to set same age limit so that there is flexibility in switching schools with different syllabus