Honorable President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhawan,New Delhi.
Subject: Relaxation in the age for admission in Govt. Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh.
With regards, myself want to have your kind attention regarding the extension of admission age for kids in Himachal Pradesh from 5 to 6 years from the next academic session. I do not oppose the decision fully but I have some questions in my mind which are presently hovering in the minds of general public and primary teachers of H.P. Please see the questions as below:-
In 80% countries of the world, primary education is given between 4 to 6 years. Most of the countries have applied the Kindergarten and LKG/UKG system. Many countries like USA,UK, Russia, Germany, Japan, Australia etc. have adopted the age of 5 to 6 years for admission in Primary Schools.
In India, The primary stage consists of Classes I to V. i.e. of five years duration, in 20 States/UTs namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal and Yaman regions of Pondicherry. The primary stage consists of classes I-IV in Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe region of Pondicherry.
Age limit for class I is 5 yrs. 6 months to 6 yrs. 6 months, for class II is 6 yrs. 6 months to 7 yrs. 6 months and so on. The enrollment in primary school starts from the age group of 6 years and continues till age 14 years.
If Right to Education Bill has suggested the admission age 6 for Class 1st, it has not made it mandatory that the relaxation in this age cannot be given as optional age of admission which may be 5 years like other 22 states of India. Then why this decision is applicable only on the Govt. Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh /India?
RTE Bill has asked to admit the students in the age of six years which also symbolize that the child who has entered in the age of sixth year may get admission in 1st Class
• Why this decision is applicable only on Govt. Primary Schools., not on the Private Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh/India?
• Why Mid Day Meal is limited to Govt. Primary Schools., not on the Private Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh/India?
• Why S.S.A. Teachers Training Programme are applicable on the teachers serving in Govt. Primary Schools., not on the Private Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh/India?
• Why the Election, Census and other Non-Teaching works are applicable only on the teachers of Govt. Primary Schools, not on the Private Primary Schools of Himachal Pradesh/India?
• Is RTE Bill applicable only on the kids who want to get admission in Govt. Primary Schools and such age limits are not to be implemented for Private Primary Schools ?
• Are the kids studying in the Private Schools are not citizen of India?
• Do the Kids studying in the Private Schools do not need nutrition schemes under M.D.M.?
• Do the children studying in the Private Schools are not facing the loss of Childhood due to early age admission in Primary Classes?
• Pre-Primary Education is the work of Aanganwari, then why these Private Primary Schools are running the L.K.G./U.K.G. system?
• Why don’t you close the Aanganwaris if you trust the Private Schools serve better forPre-Primary Education? If these are doing better, why don’t you close the Pvt. Schools who are running the Pre-Primary Education by admitting Children at the age of 3 years ?
• If Pre-Primary Education can be run by Private Primary Schools with help of L.K.G. and U.K.G. system, why the Govt. Primary Schools are not allowed to start this process ?
• ASER report 2010 says that 34% students studying in the Govt. Primary Schools are having age of 5 years. If the admission age is made 6 years 33% enrolment will definitely decrease in Govt. Primary Schools as Private Schools will admit them in 1st Class at that stage. If age of 6 years is also fixed, more 56% enrolment will also decrease as the Private Schools will offer them admission in 2nd Class . So enrolment will be approx. 10 % in Govt. Primary Schools on attaining the 6+ years age in Himachal Pradesh and Private Schools will admit the students in 3rd Class during this age . Hence, none will be interested that his child is demoted for 2 years in Primary Education due to the latest amendment in the admission age for kids to be admitted in Govt. Primary Schools of H.P. but not on the Private Schools of Himachal Pradesh?
• Isn’t it the violation of rights of students who want to study in the Govt. Primary Schools ?
• If this decision is to be implemented, why don’t the Govt.. directly close the Govt. Primary Schools as same state, same department and separate rules for Private and Govt. Schools are against the spirit of Constitution of India?
• When most of the countries of the world lead LKG/UKG/Kindergarten system and parents want to admit the children at the age of 5 years, why don’t you take public opinion?
Please see the system of Primary Education in 20 countries in respect of admission age shown further.
Education in the United States
Education in the United States is mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory.
Public education is universally available. School curricula, funding, teaching, employment, and other policies are set through locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over school districts with many directives from state legislatures. School districts are usually separate from other local jurisdictions, with independent officials and budgets. Educational standards and standardized testing decisions are usually made by state governments.
The ages for compulsory education vary by state. It begins from ages five to eight and ends from ages fourteen to eighteen.
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. At local level, local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools.
Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 16. Students may then continue their secondary studies for a further two years (sixth form), leading most typically to an A level qualification..
Education in the People’s Republic of China
Education in the People’s Republic of China is a state-run system of public education run by the Ministry of Education. All citizens must attend school for at least nine years. The government provides primary education for six years, starting at age six or seven, followed by six years of secondary education for ages 12 to 18. Some provinces may have five years of primary school but four years for middle school. There are three years of middle school and three years of high school. The Ministry of Education reported a 99 percent attendance rate for primary school and an 80 percent rate for both primary and middle schools
Main article: Education in Canada
In Canada, primary school (also known as elementary school) usually begins at the ages of four through six, starting with either Kindergarten or Grade 1 and lasts until age 13 or 14. Many places in Canada split primary school into two divisions, with primary (or elementary) lasting from Kindergarten to grades five or six (ages 10-11) , and junior secondary or (middle school) lasting from grades six or seven to grades eight or nine (ages 13-15).
In Pakistan, children aged between 4-6 years begin attending primary school.
1st Class 5-6
2nd Class 6-7
3rd Class 7-8
4th Class 8-9
5th Class 9-10
Main article: Education in Australia
In Australia, Primary School is generally for children aged 5–12. In South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland grade 7 is part of primary school; in other states it forms part of secondary education. In certain year groups, students in all schools take part in the National Assessment Programme (NAP).[
Education in Burma
Preschool and kindergarten
Preschools are opened for children over 2 years of age and they are in extensive care or public systems. Kindergarten starts from the age of 5 (not younger than 4 Years and 8 months at the time of school’s commencement date). Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Schools in Burma are under the Department of Basic Education. The official commencement date for those schools is 1st of June.
Education in Sri Lanka
Normal Ages  Primary
• Kindergarten: 4-5 year olds
• Grade 1: 5-6 year olds
• Grade 2: 6-7 year olds
• Grade 3: 7-8 year olds
• Grade 4: 8-9 year olds
• Grade 5: 9-10 year olds – Scholarship Examination
Education in Bhutan
The First Five Year Plan provided for a central education authority—in the form of a director of education appointed in 1961—and an organized, modern school system with free and universal primary education. Since that time, following one year of preschool begun at age four, children attended school in the primary grades—one through five.
Education in Nepal
Years in schools, colleges and universities
2. Lower Kindergarten (LKG)
3. Upper Kindergarten (UKG)
4. First Grade
5. Second Grade
6. Third Grade
7. Fourth Grade
8. Fifth Grade
9. Sixth Grade
Education in Russia
The Soviet system provided for nearly universal primary (nursery, age 1 to 3) and kindergarten (age 3 to 7) service in urban areas, relieving working mothers from daytime child care needs. By 1980s there were 88,000 preschool institutions; as the secondary education study load increased and moved from ten to eleven-year standard, the kindergarten programs shifted from training basic social skills and physical abilities to preparation for the school. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the number decreased to 46,000; kindergarten buildings were sold as real estate, irreversibly rebuilt and converted for office use.[
Education in Hungary
Pre-school 0 School-based programme for children aged 3–7. Includes basic skills development, pre-reading, drawing, singing, and school preparation.
General school primary level, Grades 1-4.
Education in Indonesia
Level/Grade Typical age
Education in Japan
Age Grade Educational establishments
(幼稚園 Yōchien) Special school
(特別支援学校 Tokubetsu-shien gakkō)
6-7 1 Elementary school
Education in Norway
Primary school (Barneskole, grades 1–7, age 6–13)
In the first year of primary school, the students are mostly playing educational games, learning social structures, learning the alphabet, basic addition and subtraction, and basic English skills. In grades 2 through 7 (years 3–8 or P3/4-S2/3), they are introduced to maths, English, Norwegian, science, religion, esthetics and gymnastics, complemented by geography, history, and social studies in the fifth grade (year 6 or P6/7). No official grades are given at this level, however, the teacher often writes a comment – analysis and sometimes an unofficial grade on tests. Tests are to be taken home and shown to parents. They also have an introductory test to let teacher know if the student is above the grade average or is in need of some assistance at school.
A student may take the Grade 10 exam in a particular subject however early as long as he or she has been granted an exemption from further instruction in the elementary or middle school curriculum of that subject.
How old your child should be when they start school
By law, children have to start school by the beginning of the school term after their fifth birthday (this is when they reach compulsory school age). However, you may want your child to start earlier than that. All our schools will take children from four years old.
Education in France
Age Grade Abbreviation
3 -> 4 Petite section PS
4 -> 5 Moyenne section MS
5 -> 6 Grande section GS
École élémentaire (Primary school)
Age Grade Abbreviation
6 -> 7 Cours préparatoire CP / 11ème
7 -> 8 Cours élémentaire première année CE1 / 10ème
8 -> 9 Cours élémentaire deuxième année CE2 / 9ème
9 -> 10 Cours moyen première année CM1 / 8ème
10 -> 11 Cours moyen deuxième année CM2 / 7ème
Schooling in France is mandatory as of age 6, the first year of primary school. Many parents start sending their children earlier though, around age 3 as nursery classes (maternelle) are usually affiliated to a borough’s primary school. Some even start earlier at age 2 in pré-maternelle classes, which are essentially daycare centres. The last year of maternelle, grande section is an important step in the educational process as it is the year in which pupils are introduced to reading.
After nursery, the young students move on to primary school. It is in the first year (cours préparatoire) that they will learn to write and develop their reading skills. Much akin to other educational systems, French primary school students usually have a single teacher (or perhaps two) who teaches the complete curriculum, such as French, mathematics, science and humanities to name a few. Note that the French word for a teacher at the primary school level is professeur (previously called instituteur, or its feminine form institutrice).
Religious instruction is not supplied by public schools. Laïcité (secularism) is one of the main precepts of the French republic. Pupils therefore have civics courses to teach them about la République, its function, its organisation, and its famous motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
Kindergarten in California
A. Age-Eligible Children: Districts must admit children at the beginning of the school year (or whenever they move into a district) if they will be five years of age on or before December 2 for the 2010-11 school year, December 2 for the 2011-12 school year, November 1 for the 2012-13 school year, October 1 for the 2013-14 school year and September 1 for the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter. (EC Section 48000[a]). Children who are age-eligible for kindergarten may attend any prekindergarten summer program maintained by the school district. Information about items constituting proof of age supplied by parent or guardian is found in EC Section 48002. Immunization requirements are found in Health and Safety Code Section 120325 and Section 120335 and on CDE’s Factbook Web page.
B. Under-Age Children: Districts and CDE staff are frequently requested by parents/guardians to enroll children who are not age-eligible in kindergarten and first grade. CDE has no authority to require districts to admit or accelerate under-age children. The information below is regarding enrollment of under-age children in either kindergarten or first grade.
1. Early Admission to Kindergarten. In addition to the laws mentioned above (in A. Age-Eligible Children), there is an additional—but rarely used—option for admitting children to kindergarten once they turn five years old. Districts may admit to kindergarten those children whose birthdays occur after December 2. These children may not begin school at the beginning of the school year, but they must wait until their fifth birth date occurs (EC Section 48000[b]). Districts that admit these children to kindergarten prior to their turning age five jeopardize their apportionments, as auditors may take fiscal sanctions through an audit process (see pages 68 through 70 of the state Controller’s Office attendance accounting procedures [PDF; Outside Source] for auditors). While EC Section 48000(b) allows a child to be admitted early on a case-by-case basis, districts offering this option to families would be wise to have local governing board-adopted criteria by which students are accepted. Districts that base early admissions on test results, maturity of the child, or preschool records may risk being challenged by parents/guardians whose children are denied admission. If these children continue in kindergarten past the anniversary dates of their admission, the school would be well advised to have signed Parental Agreement Forms on file to continue the children in kindergarten to the end of the school year.
2. Acceleration to First Grade. California law requires a child to be six years old on or before December 2 for the 2010-11 school year, December 2 for the 2011-12 school year, November 1 for the 2012-13 school year, October 1 for the 2013-14 school year and September 1 for the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter to be legally eligible for first grade (EC Section 48010). A child who was legally enrolled in an out-of-state kindergarten (using that state’s requirements), but who does not meet California age eligibility for first grade, may be enrolled by the district in first grade (EC Section 48011). A child who was not age-eligible for kindergarten (that is, the child turned five after December 2 in the school year) and who attended a California private school kindergarten for a year is viewed by the CDE as not legally enrolled in kindergarten, pursuant to EC Section 48000 requirements. Therefore, this child, upon enrollment in public school, is enrolled in kindergarten, assessed, and may (but is not required to) be immediately promoted to first grade if the child meets the following State Board of Education criteria, pursuant to Title 5, Section 200:
The child is at least five years of age.
The child has attended a public school kindergarten for a long enough time to enable school personnel to evaluate the child’s ability.
The child is in the upper 5 percent of the child’s age group in terms of general mental ability.
The physical development and social maturity of the child are consistent with the child’s advanced mental ability.
The parent or guardian has filed a written statement with the district that approves placement in first grade.
A statement, signed by the district and parent/guardian, is placed in the official school records for these five-year-olds who have been advanced to first grade (EC Section 48011). This action prevents a subsequent audit exception for first grade placement of an age-ineligible student.
Most children join a primary school at age 4 and stay there until they are 11. Some children start at infant school, and stay there until age 7, when they move on to junior school until the age of 11.
Under the Education Act 2002, we must make arrangements to help you decide which school you would prefer your child to go to. The Education Office – Harrogate will be able to advise you which is the normal primary school serving your home address. You can contact them on the number shown below.
North Yorkshire has a mix of infant, junior and all-through primary schools (3-11 or 4-11 years). In order to help you decide which school you would prefer your child to go to we publish a guide for parents which you can download from this page. This publication gives information about the age ranges, types of school, contact details and pupil numbers as well as setting out the admissions procedures you need to follow.
PRIMARY EDUCATION IN INDIA
1. The Primary Stage:
The Primary Stage consists of Classes I-V, i.e., of five years duration, in 20 States/UTs namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal and Yanam regions of Pondicherry. The primary stage consists of classes I-IV in Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe region of Pondicherry.
The minimum age for admission to class I of the Primary School stage is generally 5+ or 6+ years. In 22 States/UTs the minimum age for admission to Class I is 5+ years and in 7 States/UTs the minimum age for admission is 6+ years. There is no age restriction in the case of Mizoram. In Gujarat, the minimum age for admission is 5+ years (voluntary) and 6+ years (compulsory). In Lakshadweep, the minimum age for admission is 5-1/2 years.
Hence, I need your kind attention in this matter and please act appropriately in public and teachers’ interest.
Thanking with regards,
Date:21-05-2011 Yours sincerely,
Vijay Kumar Heer, President,
Himachal Shikshak Kranti Manch
V.P.O. Chakmoh, Tehsil-Barsar,Distt. Hamirpur
Himachal Pradesh 176039