While the majority of India has fallen in line with the new national schooling standards, six states and Union Territories are still holding out on a key reform for primary education. According to recent reports, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Puducherry have yet to implement the mandatory six-year minimum age requirement for admission to Class 1.
The transition is expected to finally bring an end to the ever-present tradition of "5+" admissions. Also, the modification is a fundamental element of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The revised format initiated as "5+3+3+4" shows that the basic stage comprises children between three and eight years old. This entails three years of preschool and the first two years at primary school to ensure a child is developmentally prepared to take up the formal challenges presented in Class 1 upon turning six.
So far, 30 states and UTs have successfully realigned their admission cycles. However, the holdout states are yet to follow a set of divergent criteria, thus generating a mismatch in the whole nation. The Centre has been single-minded in its approach and has posted a follow-up notice as recent as February 2024, advising the states to fall in line in accordance with the current sessions.
The rationale for the "6+" rule is to have better results for the long-term learning process. The children below the age of six were not technically included in the "10+2" system of schooling in the past, resulting in a discontinuation process of their learning process. The enforcement of the rule regarding the age limit is expected to make it compulsory for the children to have a proper three-year preschool base before engaging in the school system, which is highly essential for their well-being, according to experts.
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