Children must be at least six years old to enroll in Class 1 for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year in Haryana. This decision is in accordance with directives from the Punjab and Haryana High Court and is consistent with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The new regulation abolishes the previous six-month age waiver and will impact parents in Gurgaon and other cities.
At present, six states and union territories, including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Kerala, have yet to enforce a minimum age of six years for Class 1. According to an ANI report, 30 states and union territories have already revised their entry requirements to comply with the policy.
Several states have adopted the six-year age requirement. The Delhi Directorate of Education announced that starting in 2026, the entry age for all schools will be set at six years. The entry age in Goa will officially be raised to six years under the Goa School Education Bill, 2026. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have also established the age of six, while Karnataka has implemented it gradually with a cut-off date of June 1.
Gujarat and Maharashtra have fully adopted the 6+ norms. Punjab has restructured the pre-primary stages in accordance with the new regulations. Central schools, including all Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, have enforced the six-year rule starting from the 2022-23 academic session.
In the case of Divisha Yadav vs State of Haryana, the High Court criticized the state for failing to align its manual with the National Education Policy (NEP) and instructed it to make the necessary updates. Consequently, children who do not meet the age requirement will be placed in pre-primary classes and will be eligible for Class 1 upon reaching six years of age, allowing them to study alongside their peers.
