The High Court on Thursday raised questions on the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) raising the minimum age of admission to six years. The court has told KVS that you yourself have admitted in your affidavit that the age limit has been increased on the instructions received from the Central Government to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Justice Rekha Palli has said that ‘In the letter cited by the Center to increase the age of admission from 5 years to six years, it is clear to prepare a road map in the next two to three years to implement the National Education Policy 2020. Where is your road map? He said that if you have prepared a road map in this regard, then where is it. Justifying the increase in the age limit for admission, KVS had said in its affidavit that it has done so as per the directions given by the central government last year to implement the National Education Policy.
During the hearing of the case, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for KVS, told the court that the matter is under consideration and a proper reply will be given in this regard on Friday. After this, the High Court adjourned the hearing of the case till Friday. Earlier, the High Court on Monday asked the KVS to state whether the minimum age for admission to Class I this year can be raised to five years as earlier. The court had directed the counsel for KVS to take directions and apprise it in this regard. The court had given this direction while hearing a petition challenging the decision of KVS to increase the minimum age for admission to Class I in Kendriya Vidyalayas from five years to six years. Earlier, advocate Ashok Agrawal, appearing for the petitioner girl, said that he is neither challenging the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 nor the authority of KVS. Agarwal had said that he was only against the sudden increase in the minimum age of admission and the method adopted for it. Thereafter, Justice Pally asked the counsel for KVS “to state whether the minimum age for admission to Class I this year can be raised to five years as earlier”. He had said that if KVS does not take any decision in this regard, then he will pass appropriate order on the next hearing.
KVS, in an affidavit filed in the High Court last week, had upheld the minimum age of admission to six years. KVS has filed an affidavit in the court saying that the decision to raise the minimum age for admission to Class I to six years has been taken in accordance with the provisions of the National Policy on Education (NEP) 2020 and the Right to Education Act (RTE).