Directorate of Education (DoE) will restructure the foundational stage at schools, as envisaged under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, from the 2024-25 academic session. To introduce the clause of three years of schooling before Class I, it has sought suggestions from all stakeholders.
“NE aims at transforming the whole education system comprising school education and higher education in India. School education works as the foundation stone in a child’s life. In the context of school education, NE recommends shifting from a 10+2 structure to 5+3+3+4 covering ages 3-18 and emphasises developmental perspectives suggesting curricular and pedagogical shifts at different stages – foundational, preparatory, middle and secondary,” stated the DoE circular.
“Given the diverse needs of students, multiple pedagogic approaches and teaching-learning material at different stages of school education, it is imperative to take inputs/suggestions from all stakeholders on various aspects of the mechanism to be developed for.. restructuring the foundational stage. To make the process inclusive and participative, inputs/suggestions are being sought from diverse stakeholders and the general public,” it added.
As of now, there are two levels of classes before Class I – nursery and KG. With the change, the entry-level age for Class I has to be 6 years, unlike the current 5 years. “Adopting the new structure as per NE will require a new curriculum and additional infrastructure. Directorate of Education, GNCT Delhi intends to adopt the restructuring envisaged in NE starting with the foundational stage covering ages 3-8 years from the academic session 2024-25,” the circular stated.
A senior Delhi government official said Delhi School Education Act Rules 1973 would come in the way of Class I entry at 6 years in the state. An amendment will be required in the Act for changing the entry age, which is 3 years for nursery class.
Central Board of Secondary Education has already notified that the changes would be adopted from the 2023-24 session itself, prompting several school principals to suggest starting a lower KG class between nursery and KG.
