The Union Ministry of Education on Sunday urged all states and Union Territories to guarantee that the age of admission to first grade is six-plus years form the 2024-25 academic session onwards.

In a post on X, the official handle of the Education Ministry shared a letter from Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, writing, "Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, in a letter dated 15.02.2024, with reference to D.O. letter No. 9-2/20- IS-3 dated 31.03.2021 followed by D.O. letter of even number dated 09.02.2023, requested all states/UTs to ensure that the age of admission to Grade 1 is 6+ years from the 2024-25 session onwards."

The program is per the guidelines set out in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Meanwhile, the letter from Archana Sharma Awasthi read, "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 I, accordingly," a letter from Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy reads."