The age of entry to the Class 1 that is set at six years, is in line with the requirements that are outlined by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This policy stresses how important it is to provide early childhood education and care as it recognizes that children in the 3 to 6 age range year olds require an entirely different approach to the 10+2 model according to the information provided from the Ministry of Education (MoE) on its official X (Formerly Twitter).

"Department of Education in Schools and Literacy," Ministry of Education, in the form of a letter dating 15.02.2024 in reference to D.O. letter No. 9-2/20-IS-3, which was sent on 31.03.2021 then D.O. letter of even number, dated 09.02.2023 and requesting every state/UT to ensure that the minimum age for admission in Grade I is at least 6 years from 2024-25 from the date of publication, according to an official tweet.

"I kindly request your attention to the Department's D.O. letter No. 9-2/20- IS-3 dated 31.03.2021 followed by D.O. letter with even number dated 09.02.2023 (copies enclosed), requesting that all States and UTs align admission age with National Education Policy (NEP) provisions 2020 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and ensure admission to Grade-I at the age of 6+ year," the letter states

"The session 2024-25 is soon to begin when new admissions will take place. It is expected that the age in your State/UT has now been aligned to 6+ for admission to Grade-1, accordingly. I request you to kindly look into the matter personally, to ensure compliance and share the implementation status of the same by 20.02.2024. For this purpose, you may share the notification/instruction passed by you in this regard," it further adds

By requiring that children entering the class 1 must be at least six years old The Ministry of Education aims to make sure that children are capable of coping with the demands of elementary school. This policy also encourages equality by giving every child the chance to grow socially, emotionally, and academically prior to starting formal schooling.

Additionally, by distributing notices to the states as well as Union Territories (UTs) to ensure compliance with this age limit and enforce this age limit, the MoE has placed emphasis upon the necessity of uniformity and adhering to NEP guidelines across the nation. This helps ensure the consistency of educational standards and practices, which ultimately benefits students throughout their education. In general, the Ministry's instruction regarding the minimum age to be met for Class 1 admissions is the commitment to provide high-quality education that meets the needs of children and is in line with the current learning principles as outlined within NEP 2020.