School admission: 5 things you must know

Hi, I am from Chennai and my kid's DOB is 06/08/2015. When should I start enquiry about schools and which academic year will she be admitted in LKG?

as far as screening is concerned National Public School in Bangalore asks about mom's salary also. I am a homemaker currently and we have this feeling that they select on the basis of parents' income also. Is this correct?

my son is 4 years old now. I am trying for pp2 admission in schools. the school that I liked a lot says my son should be 4. 5 by June. Where in he will be 4 yrs 3 months and 23 days. they are not ready to accept him for pp2. how do I proceed. please suggest

my daughter will turn 3. 7 in March 2017.. presently she is in pre nursery. here in punjab we have pre nursery, nursery , LKG then UKG and then 1st.. so in which class I should get her admitted in 2017-2018 academic year

@lokesh - each school has their own criteria and not transparent. hoping some transparency this year. @ mihir - pls don't jump grades for her- not iniyially, instead make the JKG interesting wth added/supplementary materail/activities

my daughter Is completing 4 yrs in may 2017. she is in play group. now please suggest directly jump for Jr. kg next year or not. she is very active

In Delhi, I understand schools have points. Is there a consolidated view of how each school calculates points ?

hi richa! you could start with a playschool for your child when she's 2 years old.

Hi nitin.. My daughter will turn 2 on Jan 22nd 2017.. I am planning to put her to a playschool in June 2017.. So will that b fine or do I have to put her to nursery directly?

Hi Bhargavi! these are as on date of academic calendar as mentioned by schools. So in north, this could be by March end, in west, this could be by June beginning and so on. It's linked to the academic session beginning.

Thanks for this. Could you please also mention, what is the as on date for the age mentioned here? For example, #2 - pre-primary min age - 4 yrs and 5 yrs max AS ON what DATE?

hi uday! 2 years is a good time to start preschool and in anthr year nursery would be good for your child's development.

Hi, my kid turns 2 y now. (Aug).. looking to join her in nursery for next AY . pls advise as a counsellor not as per govt rules

Hi pragati, please see cbse website. it has all this and more. :)

Hi nitin, Can you give me some links from some government managed sited where i can get this rules in written to keep it with me, so that admission of my son can be hassle free.

Hi prithvi! I understand your worry. Try your bit for that but even if they don't agree its ok for your child to do it next year.

Hi Nitin. My son will complete 3 years on 12 June 2016. I m living in vadodara,Gujarat. Now issue is that schools are saying that your child must b 3 at 31 May 2016. So only for 12 days should we repeat his play center or approach school for his Nursery.

Hi deepa! Yes, she needs to be less than 6 years for grade 1. That means, she would be 5 years and a few months when she is in grade 1. Similarly 4 years and few months when in UKG and so on. So, you could look at a LKG for her now.

Hi nitin My daughter will complete 3 year 4 months by June 2016. We live in Bangalore. She should go LKG this year or next year. Many schools says that 6 year is required for grade 1. Please help as we are totally confused.

My daughter is now 22 months and would complete 2 years on 27th March 2016. I am from Calcutta. Please suggest how should I go ahead with her admission in pre school?

Thanks for the information Nitin

You would be just about the cut off age, may be 1 month of a difference. In that case schools in chennai may consider. In case they don't then you could continue with a preschool and explore next year.

So I have to wait for another academic year that is 2017? But by the time he'll be turning 4. So will he not be late to join LKG in 2017?

Hi swati- your child needs to be 3 years 6 months by the start of academic session to join LKG at a school.

Hi,I am from Chennai. My son will turn 3 on 17/01/2016. Is he eligible for the LKG Admission this year?

I live in north Bangalore, . i'm looking for admission for my child who will turn 4yrs in march. i have decided to put him in Anthony Claret School as it is the closest to our place. if anyone knows or have heard about that school ,plz give me some information, i know nothing about that school. '

Can you please refer a good school in Malur, Bangalore?

Thanks nithin for clarifying on age limit for kids academics. This is really useful blog.

Hi Purnima! your child could go to preschool, but shall appropriate age for KG/UKG next year, and for grade 1 once she is 5 years. In case the school has LKG, UKG and then grade 1, then your child shall go to LKG in 2016, UKG in 2017, and then grade 1 in 2018.

Hi Moin! Was this after the latest direction, post 18th December? If so, are you looking at an admission in state board or a CBSE school? In case you are looking at government aided/private CBSE schools, they would not deny the admission for your child in grade 1 if he's 5 year 6 months. In case it's state board unaided school, there norms will be as per the Telangana state board, and in such a case you'll have to wait till next year for grade 1.

Hi Uzma! The delhi norms are 3 years by 31st March minimum for preschool (Nursery) and 4 years minimum for pre-primary (KG). By those norms you could apply for preschool/Nu admissions in schools as your child would be 3 years+ by March 31st.

Hi Rinsy! Please find the following from these schools which are not admitting your child in LKG this year. "Will your child be fine for the admission in LKG next year when your child is 4 year 8 months? In such a case your child shall be more than 6 year in grade 1. " On the contrary, your child should be allowed in LKG this year. Which school did you get this information in Bangalore and was this before Dec 21st or after?

My daughter will be 3. 3 by June 2016 , and in hyd they take admission in lkg. By 2. 3 in nursery (now going). Am confused to put her in nursery or lkg now

Hi Nitin , My son is 5 years on 31 December 2015 and will be 5 Years and 6 months when the academic year starts in 2016 . He is denied application form by an ICSE school in Hyd stating he should be 6 years in June 2016. I spoke to them and even discussed them about 1. There is no Age limit for class X 2. Schools should be compliant with local state board ( Telangana) . Please let me know what can I do .Regards Moin

My child just turned 3 on december 25. We live in noida. Is my child have to go to formal school this year??plz help.

In Bangalore, schools are particular that they should be 4 yrs completed at the time of admission in lkg. My son will b 3 yrs and 8 months in June 2016. But schools which I enquire says he is under age to b admitted in lkg

True srivani. The twins shall be eligible for grade 1 at 5 years in the beginning of the academic year. Thats accurate.

Thanks shikha. Its true that there is a lot of confusion from the latest directions being set. i hope this information shall dispell all confusion for parents.

Thanks Nitin for this useful blog. It could not be more apt with admissions just around the corner and clarifies all the doubts regarding age criteria for different levels. Please keep guiding us!

My twin kids DOB is may 5th 2013 and by jun 2016 they will be completing 3 years and approximately 3. 1 years. So are they eligible for lkg? By 2018 -2019 jun their age is 5. 1 and will be eligible for class 1.

Hi Anusha! I understand your worry emanating from the fact that different parts of our country have different names for preschool . for e. g. preschool has PG/Pre NU, NU, LKG, UKG in some parts of the country. , whereas schools mostly have either KG or LKG and UKG. The latest direction from DOE says, all school admissions in grade 1 could be minimum of 5 years and maximum of 6 years. One needs to work back the preceeding grades accordingly. So for e. g. for a school with LKG and UKG, a child of 4 years could go to LKG and next year could go to UKG, and then to grade 1 when the child is 6 years, but for a school with KG only, the child could be either 4 or 5 years in KG and would go to grade 1 next year.

Hi Kiran! By preschool i mean Nursery, KG is preprimary.

By preschool, do you mean K1 or LKG?

hi, can u explain the minimum age for school admissions in terms of Nursery, LKG, UKG and class 1.