Punjab Government Revises School Admission Age Criteria from 2024-25, Introduces Nursery Classes
**Chandigarh 5 April 2024 ( Jobsoftoday): The Punjab Education Department has announced revised age criteria for admissions to government schools for the academic session 2024-25, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. A key change includes the formal introduction of Nursery classes in government schools.
According to the new guidelines, the age for admission to Nursery class will be 3 to 4 years as of April 1, 2024. For Lower Kindergarten (LKG), the age limit is set at 4 to 5 years, and for Upper Kindergarten (UKG), it is 5 to 6 years, both as of April 1, 2024.
Crucially, the minimum age for admission to Class 1 has been fixed at 6 years as of April 1, 2024. This move aims to ensure that students have completed the foundational stage of education before entering formal primary schooling.
The pre-primary stage in government schools will now encompass three years: Nursery, LKG, and UKG. The duration for Nursery class will be one hour.
The Education Department has directed all school heads to strictly adhere to these revised age limits and admission rules. The guidelines also specify that students currently enrolled in government schools who do not meet the new age criteria for their next respective class will not be promoted.
This step by the Punjab government is expected to streamline the admission process and bring uniformity in the age of students across different classes in line with the national education framework.
