BENGALURU: The Karnataka govt's decision on Wednesday to reduce the minimum age requirement for admission to class 1 from 6 years to 5 years and 5 months, has opened a Pandora's box with schools affilicated to the two major national-level boards taking conflicting stands.
While the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has asked its affiliate ICSE schools to adhere to the rules made by the state govt, a CBSE schools association has said that it is bound by its board rules and will abide by the minimum age of six years rule.
The Karnataka ICSE Schools Association confirmed that after they sought clarification, their board, the CISCE, has told them that they have to abide by the state govt norms. There are 510 ICSE schools in Karnataka.
"We are bound by the rules of CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). CBSE aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) and has instructed us to have six years as the minimum age. We will continue following it," said M Srinivasan, president, Management of Independent CBSE Schools Association (MICSA). "This is gross injustice to lakhs of students and hundreds of schools that obeyed the rules in the last three years. Why should they be punished for a few hundred, who did not follow the rules? How many times will the govt go on relaxing the norms? I will blame the schools only, who despite knowing the rules, blatantly disregarded it," he said.
However, some CBSE schools said they would promote their children to the next class. "I have promoted about 17 children to class 1 based on the govt decision. The minister's announcement is for all schools," said a CBSE school principal.
"There is only one SATS portal for all schools in Karnataka. How can the rules be different for everyone?" said an ICSE school principal. "At the same time, we also request the higher-ups to be more responsible and announce such decisions well in advance. Schools are closed for holidays, admissions are over, and the new announcement has put all in a fix yet again," she added.
Some schools have already completed their admissions, while others who have not have welcomed the decision.
The Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka (KAMS), which represents a section of the schools affiliated to the state board, has, however, criticised the age norm relaxation and said it will approach the courts over the issue. "Most recognised schools in the state have realigned their admission criteria to comply with the govt mandate. A vast majority of parents have accepted and adapted, opting for re-admissions, holding back children, or engaging in home-schooling to meet the 6+ eligibility by 2025. A few unauthorised and unregulated schools failed to comply with the 6+ policy, disregarding govt orders in letter and spirit. Any relaxation now will set a poor precedent and undermine law-abiding institutions and parents who made structural adjustments," D Shashi Kumar, KAMS, said, releasing a list of schools whose parents had sought age relaxation.
MICSA has supported KAMS decision to go to court.
KAMS also questioned the minister's statement that a child has to complete UKG or equivalent class for admission to class 1. "To not allow direct admission to class 1 is against RTE," said Shashi Kumar, adding: "We will look at legal options."
The Private School and College Parent Association's coordination committee and Recognised Unaided Private Schools Association have welcomed the govt decision.
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