Nursery Admissions in Delhi NCR 2025-26

Form Dates | Admission Criteria | Results | Fee Details | List of All Schools

THE AGE CONUNDRUM - C TODAY HINDUSTAN TIMES - ADMISSIONSNURSERY.COM PARENTS VIEW'S

	The age conundrum
	Joyeeta Ghosh joyeeta.ghosh@hindustantimes.com NEW DELHI

: On February 15, when Kapil Sibal, Union Human Resource Development min- ister proposed increasing the age for nursery admissions from 3 years to 4 years, for stu- dents in the Capital, teachers and parents welcomed the move, saying it will reduce stress on kids.

But the initial euphoria has given way to speculation that increase in age for nursery admissions might leave stu- dents in the Capital on the back- foot vis-a-vis their peers from other states.

"If the admission age is increased for students in Delhi, then there is a need to change the whole age-group pattern for national level competitive exam- inations as well," wrote Maharam Tanwar on admissionsnursery.com, a forum for nursery-admission related issues. If a child gets admitted to nursery at 4 years and class 1 at 6 years, he will complete college at the age of 21.

Students from other states will, however, finish college at 20. This will give students from other states an edge in com- petitive exams where candi- dates have limited attempts.

Poulomi Bhattacharya, another parent, has worries of a different nature, "My son will be 3 years 11 months old when the nursery admission takes place in 2011. If the age is increased to 4 years, then he would lose out and have to apply next year when he would be just a month less than 5 years."

Child psychologists, howev- er, feel that it is a great idea to increase the age of admissions.

"A three-year-old is not ready to recognise letters and num- bers. Kids should concentrate on pre-academic skills," said Shelja Sen, a child psychologist with Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

In Scandinavian countries, children start formal schooling at the age of 7, while in Britain they start schooling at 4 years.

Research show that by the age of 11, Scandinavian children are academically superior to British children, said Sen.

"The fears of parents about their child losing out on a year are unfounded," she added.

TOP

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by dr sakshi on February 22, 2010 at 10:22am

gud initiative......but i thnk when to send a child to school and when not should solely be parents decision coz no two children are the same...each child is unique so it is the parents who shd decide when to send their child to school and not govt....rather it shd be that a child between 3 to 4.5 can apply for nursery and leave the decision on the parents

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vijay Kumar on February 22, 2010 at 12:34pm

I doubt many parents would want to be left behind in admission race then :) Ultimately poor children will suffer. If its govt enforced, its welcome relief for children.
I think we should let them enjoy their schooling at some pace and let them prove their mettle in their career later on.

dr sakshi arora said:

gud initiative......but i thnk when to send a child to school and when not should solely be parents decision coz no two children are the same...each child is unique so it is the parents who shd decide when to send their child to school and not govt....rather it shd be that a child between 3 to 4.5 can apply for nursery and leave the decision on the parents

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sweet nothings on February 22, 2010 at 1:38pm

I have a same problem as Poulomi....
I think 3.5 to 4.5 is the best option,neither too big nor too small......
But a 3 year old is too small for formal education....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by GOPAL KAPOOR on February 22, 2010 at 2:06pm

I am of the opinion, 4 plus is the right age for nursery.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sunita Jain on February 22, 2010 at 2:39pm

It is good to highlight views of parents as they r best judge to tell right and wrong about kids.

But with this I would like to add few more points which shud be focused along with age, and if below pts also get fixed by govt across the schools then it would definately going to give a great sigh of relief to parents. They are:
1. If 4+ going to be criteria for nursery admn then which month shud be considered as last limit. If it is going to be same as March 31st then kids born in May,Jun,Jul going to be highly affected as they will go to nursery near to their 5yrs of age.I will suggest there shud be interim sessions for pre-classes to minimize the gap of their ages.
2. If 4+ goes to nursery then Nursery & KG session shud be merged as every child goes to Play school, no need of two pre classes in a school. So that at 5, they will go to 1st class and will be at par with rest of children in other states.
3. Syllabi shud be revised for pre-classes. It shud not be stressful.
4. Point system shud be same across the school.
a. Girls education shud be appreciated but same time boys shud not get affected. As for first boy/girl no pt shud be given but for second girl(provided 1st was girl) then good number of points shud be given.
b. Now,major points given to siblings.But I feel, not much weightage shud be given.

If these criteria's get fixed then I m sure lot of tension get reduced from parents as well as our little ones.

I request you, please help us not only in age criteria but also in above points.
We all are with you.

Thanks.
► Reply to This

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ravi Piplani on February 22, 2010 at 2:45pm

I am fully agree with Sakshi, it shd be decided by the parents when kids hv to be admitted in school preferably in the age of 3 to 4.5. Let the parents decide abt their kids. All kids r not same in nature. It should be the convenience of the parents when to got admission, govt. should not disturb the age criteria for nursery admission as it was the govt. who earlier decided to put the child in the age of 3 or 3+.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Myrl Mitchell on February 22, 2010 at 3:07pm

I have always been concerned regarding this matter, I never went to nursery school till I was 5 years old. I think in today's times, the kids are way smarter and exposed to a lot more than our days. Therefore I think the child should at least be 3.5

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarika Talwar on February 22, 2010 at 3:20pm

I guess the focus on rather than having focus on mode of teaching / changing the ways education is imparted - which is stressful for the kids, focus is going on age. If mode of teaching is changed to learn as you play rather than 3/4/5/6 years, alongwith grading system wherein a student is assessed throughout the year rather than board exams only, it would definietly de-stress the kids. In addition, it would inculcate consistent behavior rather than just take tutions / fast learning coruses to score max. in baords.

My kid started going to play school when she was 2 yrs and 4 mths old and she has learnt a lot. Neither we, nor her play school has ever forced her to do anything, but she is grasping and learning many things on her own at her age and now wants to learn how to write when she would be turning four shortly. I think this is what is important and not 3/4/5 criteria.

Also, how about the siblings. My daughter would start going to nursery when she would be approx. 4 years but son who is younger to her, would go at age of 4+ years......... so don;t you think that would have some impact..... one kid graduating at 18 and other at 21 years???????? what is his mistake to lag behind? will this not impact him? this is what worries me more

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sanjeev Kumar on February 22, 2010 at 5:09pm

I agree with Shaena. The age should be 3.5 to 4.5.

shaena rai said:

I have a same problem as Poulomi....
I think 3.5 to 4.5 is the best option,neither too big nor too small......
But a 3 year old is too small for formal education....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ruchi Sanghi on February 22, 2010 at 6:30pm

I think , Child should be 3.5 +. This would help in reducing the age gap.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Poulomi Bhattacharya on February 22, 2010 at 6:55pm

Its not the fear of losing out but it is the impartial way of introducing a new scheme . In the same country I beg to differ with the cut off dates of age . We are speaking about scandinavia and Britain , why dont we see that the age criteria is so uneven in our very own Country . So do we presume that a child who is June born in some states in India is old enough and matured enough to start formal school while a kid born in the month of June in Delhi is prematured for this year's admission . Can we for once ask our politicians to look at the country and have one uniform system ? Why does something new come at a time when all admissions are almost over and not before the process started ? Is it because the school who needed their funds for this year are done with and adequate amount of donation has already gone in to our corrupt politicians and their parties