Class 1 entry age to be six as Goa amends education law

The Goa government has introduced a bill in the legislative assembly to raise the minimum age for admission to Class 1 in schools from five-and-a-half years to six years.

The move is aimed at bringing the state law in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 pand the Right to Education Act.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant introduced the Goa School Education (Amendment) Bill, 2026, during the ongoing



winter session of the assembly on Tuesday.

The bill seeks to amend Section 18 of the Goa School Education Act, 1984, which currently allows admission to Class 1 for children aged five years and six months.

As per the proposed amendment, a child who has not completed six years of age on or before June 1 of the academic year will not be eligible for admission to Class 1 or any equivalent class in a recognised school.