In a major relief to parents and schools, the Uttarakhand government has amended the age requirement for Class 1 admission. As per the new rule, a child must now complete six years of age by July 1 to be eligible for admission to Class 1. Earlier, the cutoff date was April 1, which often led to children missing out on admission by just a few weeks or months.
This change comes after repeated concerns from parents and recommendations from the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Commission Chairperson Dr. Geeta Khanna had directed the Director General of Education to reconsider the existing rule, following which the government made the amendment to the Right to Free and Compulsory Child Education Rules, 2011.
An official notification under the Uttarakhand RTE (Amendment) Rules 2025 was issued on Friday, confirming the change. The move is expected to increase admissions for the 2025–26 academic session, which had seen a dip due to the earlier April cutoff.
The revised rule also safeguards the interests of students already enrolled in pre-school (Nursery, LKG, UKG), ensuring continuity in their education without disruptions. However, from future sessions, schools will be mandated to set minimum age criteria in pre-school classes such that children turn six by July 1 before entering Class 1.
