Court Orders Inclusive Admissions for Young Learners in Himachal Pradesh

The Himachal Pradesh High Court ruled that under-six students who have completed pre-school will be admitted to Class 1 for 2024-25, despite state age criteria. The PIL highlighted the implementation of NEP 2020, benefiting 50,000 children and reducing educational and financial burdens on parents.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that children under the age of six who have completed their pre-school curriculum will be granted admission to Class 1 for the 2024-25 academic year, regardless of the state's age criteria.

The decision, rendered by a division bench of Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher and Justice Satyen Vaidya, comes in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Monika Sharma and others. The litigation challenged the Himachal Pradesh government's mandate that children must be six by March 31, 2024, to enter Class 1.

The court emphasized phased implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to avoid intellectual and psychological setbacks for children while easing financial burdens on parents. Approximately 50,000 students in the state, born between October 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, stand to benefit from this ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)