19 states implemented Centre’s rule on fixed minimum age for admission in Class 1 as six years: Ministry

As many as 19 states have implemented the Centre’s rule that fixed the minimum age for admission in Class 1 as six years, officials in the Union ministry of education said. In addition, the ministry has also received over 90,000 proposals from schools under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme announced by the Centre in September, of which 9,000 are to be accepted.

In February this year, the union ministry of education’s department of school education & literacy had written to states and union territories asking them to ensure six years as the minimum age of admissions in class 1. The move has faced opposition with some parents of children contesting the government’s decision in the Supreme Court last year. In March this year, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the government. Officials of the education ministry said that till now 18 states have implemented the minimum age criteria, with several states yet to start it. Some of these states, officials added, were states ruled by Opposition parties.

Also Read | 16 B'luru govt schools to be reborn with Premji's soft power

Under PM Shri, officials said that over 90,000 schools sent in their details to be nominated for the scheme. "Schools were given time between January 1-15 this year to submit their proposals, and a project approval board was formed to look into the matter. We have received 9,000 proposals which seem acceptable to us. We are assessing these names,” said a senior ministry official.

Sources in the education ministry also said that seven Opposition-ruled states have refrained from participating in the scheme. States such as Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal,Tamil Nadu Kerala, Delhi and Jharkhand are yet to participate in the scheme. Officials added that Jharkhand has indicated an interest, though it is yet to participate officially.

The Centre had announced that under the PM Shri Scheme as many as 14,500 schools were to receive grants so that they are equipped with “upgraded infrastructure, innovative pedagogy and technology” so that they can be treated as exemplary schools. The Centre had earmarked an amount of Rs 27,360 crore for a period of five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 under the scheme, and states are to sign MoUs with the Centre spending costs on a 60:40 ratio. The seven states have not signed the MoUs, officials said.