Goa introduces bill to raise Class 1 entry age to six years

The Goa government has introduced the Goa School Education Bill, 2026, in the State Assembly, proposing to raise the minimum age for admission to Class 1 to six years, in line with the National Education Policy 2020.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend provisions of the Goa School Education Act, 1984 and revise existing entry age norms for primary education.

If passed, the change would align Goa’s school admission rules with the national framework aimed at standardizing the age at which children begin formal schooling.

The Bill was tabled by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during the ongoing winter session of the Assembly. At present, children aged five years and six months are eligible for admission to Class 1.

Under the proposed amendment, a child who has not completed six years of age on or before June 1 of the academic year will not be eligible for admission to Class 1 or an equivalent class in any recognized school.

To prevent disruption for families already preparing for the next academic cycle, the Bill includes a one-time relaxation for the 2025–26 academic year.

As per this provision, children who complete five years and six months on or before June 1, 2025, will be allowed to enroll in Class 1.

The proposed amendment also introduces stricter age norms for first-time admissions to classes above Class 1.

It states that a student will not be admitted if, after deducting the normal number of schooling years between that class and Class 1, the child’s age is found to be below six years. The provision is intended to prevent indirect admissions that bypass age eligibility rules.

According to the state government, the objective of the Bill is to ensure uniformity with the National Education Policy 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, both of which prescribe six years as the minimum age for entry into formal schooling.

The move follows a 2023 directive from the Ministry of Education urging all states and Union Territories to align school admission norms with the National Education Policy.

Since then, several states and education boards have begun revising their laws or admission guidelines to adopt a uniform school starting age.