Age Criteria for Class 1 and Nursery Admission (Free)
Most Indian states now want a child to be 6 for Class 1, measured on a cut-off date that varies. Check your child's exact age on that date for free.
Published · 5 min read
For Class 1 admission in India, the usual rule now is that a child must be at least 6 years old on a cut-off date, often 31 March of the admission year, though some states use a different date. Check it in the free age calculator by setting Age on to the cut-off date in the admission notice. A child born on 15 April 2021 is 5 years, 11 months and 16 days old on 31 March 2027, so they'd miss a "6 as on 31 March" rule by about two weeks.
Age criteria for Class 1: the 6-year rule
The National Education Policy 2020 set out a 5+3+3+4 school structure, where the first five years (the "foundational stage") cover three years of preschool from about age 3, then Class 1 and Class 2. That puts Class 1 at age 6. The Union Education Ministry has written to states and union territories asking them to set 6 years as the minimum age for Class 1, in line with NEP 2020 and the Right to Education Act.
States have been moving to this rule at different speeds. Some adopted it a few years ago; others, such as Delhi and Goa, announced it for the 2026-27 session, as per news reports of their education department circulars and, in Goa's case, an amendment to the state's school education act (2026). Check the official circular or gazette for your session. A few may still allow 5+ in some boards or private schools.
The cut-off date varies
Even where the minimum age is 6, the date on which it's measured isn't the same everywhere:
- Delhi's Directorate of Education measures the minimum and maximum ages for Class 1 as on 31 March of the admission year, and its circular lets heads of school relax the limits by up to one month, as per reports of the circular (2025).
- Goa's school education amendment, as reported in 2026, requires a child to turn six on or before 1 June of the admission year. The final gazetted text isn't confirmed here, so check the Directorate of Education's notice.
- Central schools, private schools and other states publish their own dates in their admission notices.
So the same child can be eligible in one place and not in another. Always use the date in the notice for the school you're applying to.
Typical age ladder for pre-primary and Class 1
Once Class 1 is set at 6, the earlier classes usually step down one year at a time. A common pattern looks like this, but names and ages differ between states and schools:
| Class | Typical minimum age on the cut-off date |
|---|---|
| Nursery / Pre-school / Balvatika 1 | 3 years |
| LKG / KG / Balvatika 2 | 4 years |
| UKG / Prep / Balvatika 3 | 5 years |
| Class 1 | 6 years |
Many notices also set a maximum age for each class (for example, under 7 for Class 1), so an older child may need a different class or a relaxation.
How to check your child's age
- Find the cut-off date in the official admission notice.
- Open the free age calculator.
- Enter your child's Date of birth as shown on the birth certificate.
- Change Age on to the cut-off date.
- Read the years, months and days, and compare with the minimum and maximum ages.
Your child's details stay on your device; nothing is uploaded or saved.
Worked examples for the 2027-28 session
Here's how three birth dates fare against two common cut-off rules for a "6 years for Class 1" requirement:
| Date of birth | Age on 31 March 2027 | Age on 1 June 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2021 | 6 years, 0 months, 0 days | 6 years, 2 months, 1 day |
| 1 April 2021 | 5 years, 11 months, 30 days | 6 years, 2 months, 0 days |
| 15 April 2021 | 5 years, 11 months, 16 days | 6 years, 1 month, 17 days |
- The child born on 31 March 2021 turns 6 exactly on 31 March 2027, so meets a "6 years as on 31 March" rule.
- The child born on 1 April 2021 is one day short on 31 March. Under Delhi's rule, this is the kind of case a head of school's one-month relaxation is meant for, but it isn't automatic.
- The child born on 15 April 2021 meets a 1 June cut-off but not a 31 March one.
Find the latest birth date that qualifies
If you're planning ahead, flip the question: what's the latest birth date that meets the rule? The free date calculator does it:
- Choose Add or subtract time.
- Set Date to the cut-off date, for example 31 March 2027.
- Choose Subtract, enter 6, and pick Years.
- The result, 31 March 2021, is the latest birth date that's exactly 6 on the cut-off. Anyone born on or before it qualifies on minimum age.
Run it again with the maximum age to find the earliest birth date that's still allowed.
Documents and practical tips
- Birth certificate: schools check the date of birth against it. If the hospital record and the municipal certificate differ, get it corrected first.
- Keep a scanned copy ready: many admissions are online. The college admission document checklist has general scanning and file-size tips that apply to school forms too.
- Ask about relaxations early: if your child is a few days short, ask the school whether the head of school can relax the limit, and what proof they need.
- Check the session year: "2027-28" admissions usually use a cut-off in 2027, not 2028.
For the general method behind the calculator, including 29 February birthdays, see how to calculate age from date of birth.
Check your child's age now
Enter the date of birth in the free age calculator and set "Age on" to the cut-off date from the school or state notice. It's free and private. The rules vary by state, board and school, so the official notice always has the final word.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the age criteria for Class 1 in India?
- Most states now require a child to be at least 6 years old on a cut-off date, in line with NEP 2020. The cut-off date and any maximum age vary by state and school, so check the admission notice.
- What is the cut-off date for school admission age?
- It varies. Delhi uses 31 March of the admission year, as per reports of its circular. Goa's cut-off has been reported as 1 June, but the final rule isn't confirmed here, so check the Directorate of Education's notice. Private and central schools publish their own dates.
- My child is a few days short of 6. Can they still get admission?
- Some states allow a small relaxation, such as Delhi's one month at the head of school's discretion. It isn't automatic, so ask the school before applying.
- What age is right for nursery?
- Usually 3 years on the cut-off date, with LKG at 4 and UKG at 5, but each state and school sets its own ages.
- Which date of birth does the school use?
- The one on the child's birth certificate. Make sure it matches any other records you submit.
Calculators
Try the Age Calculator
Free, no sign-up, works in your browser. Enter a date of birth to see an exact age in years, months and days, plus total months, weeks and days, the days until the next birthday and the weekday you were born.