Over 2.3 lakh Karnataka COVID kids face repeat year; parents protest age rule

A policy meant to standardise the school entry age has unexpectedly left thousands of young learners and their families in distress across Karnataka. As the new academic session approaches, confusion and concern are mounting over whether children who narrowly miss the June 1 age deadline will be allowed to move ahead.

More than 2.3 lakh children across Karnataka are at the centre of a growing controversy over school admissions, as strict enforcement of the June 1 age cut-off has left many young students unable to move to Class 1 despite completing UKG.

Born during the COVID-19 pandemic, these children, often referred to by parents as “COVID kids”, are now facing the prospect of repeating a year, triggering protests and emotional appeals from families, particularly in Bengaluru.

As per the state’s current regulation, a child must have completed six years of age by June 1 to be eligible for admission to Class 1. However, many children who successfully completed UKG fall short of this deadline by a few days or weeks.

Parents argue that these children have cleared their assessments, adapted well academically and socially, and are fully prepared to transition to the next grade. Yet, under the present rule, schools are not permitted to promote them if they do not meet the exact age requirement.

The issue has impacted over two lakh families statewide, according to parent groups.

The controversy deepened after the State Education Policy (SEP) Report recommended a 90-day age relaxation to address such cases. Parents say this recommendation has not been implemented, leaving their children in limbo.