Himachal: Age limit set for admission to nursery and first grade; notification issued.

January 15, 2026

The Himachal Pradesh government has clarified the age criteria for admissions to classes from nursery to Class 1. In line with the provisions of the National Education Policy-2020 and the Right to Education Act (RTE Act), the state government issued a new notification on Wednesday, amending its previously issued instructions regarding admissions. The cut-off date for calculating age for the academic session will now be September 30th.

A letter issued by Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar to the Director of School Education states that the guidelines issued on December 17, 2024, have been amended. The objective is to bring uniformity to the admission process in government and private schools across the state.

He explained that for admission to Balvatika 1 (Nursery), a child must have completed at least 3 years of age by September 30th.

For Balvatika 2 (LKG), completing 4 years of age by September 30th will be mandatory.

For Balvatika 3 (UKG), the child must have completed 5 years of age by September 30th. For admission to Class 1, the child must have completed 6 years of age by September 30th. He said that this decision will provide relief to parents from the confusion surrounding their children’s admissions.

Now, uniform rules will be applicable in all schools, which will also curb disputes arising from premature or delayed admissions.

The Education Secretary has instructed the Director of School Education to ensure that necessary action is taken in this regard. The revised guidelines should be effectively communicated to all concerned educational institutions. These rules will be strictly implemented from the upcoming academic session.