Over 400 children in Bengaluru about to start in Class 1 this June face the possibility of repeating a year due to the alleged failure of private schools to follow the minimum age criterion for admission set by the Karnataka government. Parents have blamed the schools for not informing them in time about children to have completed six years of age by June 1 and the schools have either denied being informed about the age rule or, in turn, blaming the parents for admitting the students, despite being aware of the child being underage. Meanwhile, the Education Department has so far refused to make an allowance and allow these students to be admitted to Class 1.
On November 15, 2022, the Department of School Education and Literacy issued a circular stating that only children who have completed six years of age by June 1, 2025, will be admitted to Class 1 for the academic year 2025-26. The criterion, set under the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2009 and the amended act in 2012, is also in line with the National Education Policy, which prescribes the same. The age criterion for admission has come into effect during the 2025-26 academic year. The Karnataka government first notified the change in age in July 2022, but the November notification made it clear that the rules would come into effect only in the academic year 2025-26.
However, the parents of around 400 children studying in at least 21 private schools in the city allege that the schools failed to inform them of the rules while admitting children to lower kindergarten for the academic year 2023-24. As a result, children will have to repeat an academic year.
While school admissions have to start after the end of the academic year in March, many private schools start inviting applications for admission by the previous September or October for the next academic year. The circular specifying minimum age limit for admission was sent in November 2022 to come into effect for the academic year 2025-26 for Class 1. Another order reiterating the age limit was sent to schools in April 2023. But some schools ignored the order and admitted children who would not have turned four years of age to lower kindergarten. These kids are now not eligible to be admitted to Class 1, as they will not be six years of age by June 1, 2025.
TNM spoke to the parents of several such children, who said that at least 400 children in 21 private schools in Bengaluru face the prospect of repeating the year as the age rule kicks in this June. Many schools have also asked parents to pay the full year’s fee, which ranges from Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 lakh per year.
Parents of children not meeting the age criterion formed a WhatsApp group to find a solution and were shocked to find 120 children have been asked to repeat the year.
Supriya*, an IT professional, said, “When the government order came out in 2023, my daughter’s school assured us there would be no issue and that the rule might be reconsidered. Now, they are saying our children cannot be promoted to Class 1.”
Asked why she went ahead despite being aware of the rules, Supriya said, “At that point, we did not have any choice other than trusting the school authorities and going according to what they told us. Now not only does my child have to repeat a year, but we will have to pay the entire year’s fee; that’s 1.5 lakhs all over again, and that’s just the tuition fees.”
Several parents report that they were only made aware of the rule in November or December 2024 or as recently as January or February 2025, towards the end of the academic year, leaving them with no alternatives.
"We were told about the rule in late January, just weeks before the academic year ends. Now, we have no choice but to accept that our child may have to repeat UKG,” said Prayag*, parent of a preschool student. He now has to pay Rs 1.01 lakh to repeat UKG.
Disruption for children
While parents struggle to resolve the situation, they are also finding it tough to explain to their children why they have to repeat the year.
“My child is devastated. Every day, he comes to me in tears, asking why all his friends are moving to Class 1 while he has to stay behind. I don’t know. What am I supposed to explain to him?” said Rishita*, a parent of a preschool student from HSR Layout.
Trisha*, a school teacher from Whitefield, shared a similar concern. “My daughter was so excited about Class 1, but now she thinks she’s done something wrong. She hears her friends talking about moving up and even gets teased about being left behind. We’ve tried to reassure her, but she’s so disheartened. It is difficult to see her like this.”
"Repeating a year carries a negative connotation, and it’s bound to affect young children. How do you explain government orders to a five-year-old? There’s nothing we can do but watch our kids struggle with it. No matter how much we try to cheer them up, at the end of the day, it hits them that they're staying behind while many of their friends move ahead," said Rishita.
A principal of a Bengaluru preschool told TNM that they had pinned a copy of the government order on a board in their school and refused to admit children to LKG if they were under four years of age. “If the child is underage and the parents insist on admitting the child to playschool (pre-LKG), then we warn them that the child will have to repeat the year, either in playschool or LKG. We do not let children repeat UKG in our school. Only if they agree to this will we admit them.” She also said that repeating the year in UKG was disruptive for the children, as they would get bored with the same set of study material and teachers. “They do not learn anything new and stay in the same classrooms with the same teachers. They tend to get frustrated and suffer in their development as a result," she said.
Schools like Deens Academy, Insight Academy, and VIBGYOR said they had received the circular and informed the parents, while schools like News Horizon Gurukul Pre School and Greenwood High claimed they received it only late last year.
When TNM reached out to New Horizon Gurukul Pre School, they claimed they had not received the circular when they admitted students for the 2022–23 academic year.
Deens Academy told TNM that they communicated the rule to parents and that they had been following this rule long before the government order was out. Yet they chose to admit children flouting the rule. A Deens school representative who did not want to be named said, “We informed parents during orientation, and they agreed to proceed, saying it wouldn’t be an issue and that they would be okay with repeating a year if needed.” This contradicts the parents' claims, as they deny being informed about the rule during the orientation program.
Rishita, whose child attends Deens Academy, said, “Let the school show some proof that they had informed us,” she said.
TNM spoke to Block Education Officers, who said that schools should not have admitted underage students despite clear instructions. “Schools were given ample time to adjust. The directive was communicated through the appropriate channels,” said Raghuchandra KG, BEO of Bangalore North 2. He added that the circulars were sent via WhatsApp in a group in 2022–23 itself, ensuring that all schools had seen the notification.
Government not keen on making exceptions
A senior official from the Department of School Education has ruled out any reconsideration, stating, “The policy is final. We have already pushed this decision enough, and everyone knew this was coming. We are not making any changes. Schools and parents should have followed the rules from the start. Most schools in Karnataka begin their academic year in June. Extending the cutoff would lead to inconsistencies in the system.”
The official said that action could be taken against schools only if parents formally file complaints. Action would involve fines or revocation of school registrations for non-compliance.
However, many parents are hesitant to take legal action. “We don’t want to risk our child’s education by raising a complaint,” said one parent.
Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of the Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), said, “These schools were well aware of the age rule but admitted underage children anyway because it meant more admissions and revenue. They took fees from parents without informing them of the risks, and now that the rule is being enforced, they are refusing to take responsibility.” KAMS includes over 4,000 schools from multiple boards (ICSE, CBSE, ISC, etc.) across the state.
While parents acknowledge the intent behind the age rule, many believe it should apply only to new admissions rather than children who are already enrolled.
They are urging the government to extend the cutoff date by at least three months, which would allow most affected students to progress to Class 1 without disruption.
Several state governments have introduced flexibility in their age criterion for Class 1 admissions in 2025-26, allowing children younger than six to enrol. Maharashtra has extended its cutoff to July 1, Haryana to September 1, Odisha to October 1, and Jammu & Kashmir to September 30. In contrast, Karnataka has enforced a strict June 1 cutoff, a stance that parents are now urging the government to reconsider.
Parents whose children have been affected by the rule have petitioned the Education Department and the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Madhu Bangarappa, seeking a resolution. However, they claim that the Minister did not entertain their request, stating that the government order had been in place for a long time and that the schools should have followed it from the start.
Anand*, one of the parents who met the Minister, said, “He told us plainly that the rule was announced long ago and that it’s not the government’s responsibility to make changes now. According to him, the schools should have complied from the beginning.”
* Names have been changed to protect their identity.