In light of the Government of Karnataka's order to increase the minimum age for children to be admitted to Class I, the Karnataka Associated Management of Schools (KAMS), has sought that the order to be revised or clarified.

KAMS General Secretary Shashi Kumar said the order presents several problems and confusion, and if implemented, must be done phase-wise over the course of a few years, instead of from the next academic year.

“Sudden implementation will lead to repercussions for both schools and parents. The fixed minimum age will also lead to a lot of discrimination among students,” he said.

In a statement, the association said the major problem is fixing the age at six years. “It will be unfair for many students who were born in the wrong month, and will need to be held back. There needs to be some sort of flexibility. Parents will need to spend more money to enroll in private daycare or pre-primary schools, and children will also be at risk of being out of school,” said Shashi Kumar.

The association has asked that the order be revised and clarified along the lines of the previous order, which gave the gap of five years, five months to seven years as the admission time.

The Karnataka government on Tuesday, July 26, extended the minimum age for admission of children to primary classes from the current five years and five months to six years, from the next academic session, 2023-24.

Reports pointed out that the Union Education Ministry had earlier, in March 2021, urged states to make six years as the minimum age for admission into Class I to ensure uniformity with the National Education Policy (NEP) that mandates five years of foundational learning, including three years of pre-school education.