The Rajasthan government has announced a significant education policy reform ahead of the 2026-27 academic session: the minimum age for admission to Class 1 in government schools has been reduced from 6 years to 5 years. The policy, effective from April 1, 2026, represents a major shift aimed at boosting enrolment in government schools and aligning with private school practices.

Alongside the age revision, Rajasthan has also changed the start date of its academic session in government schools from July to April — matching the timeline followed by private schools across the state. This change is intended to eliminate the competitive disadvantage faced by government school students who previously enrolled two to three months after their private school counterparts.\n\nThe reform should be read carefully in the context of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14. The new admission age of 5 years extends access to government schooling before the RTE threshold, positioning Rajasthan as an early mover in expanding the early childhood education continuum.\n\nState Education officials indicated that the change will be implemented across all government primary schools in Rajasthan for 2026-27 admissions. The move is expected to improve gross enrolment ratios (GER) at the primary level and reduce the gap between private and government school enrolment.\n\nThe Rajasthan Department of Elementary Education coordinated with the DIPR to publicise the admission calendar changes. Critics note that infrastructure readiness — classrooms, teachers, and mid-day meal capacity for younger children — remains a challenge that must be addressed alongside the policy change.