School Timings Revised Amid Heat Wave; Age Limit Impacting Primary School Admissions:

The Basic Education Director has modified the institute timing of all council schools to start from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM till the summer vacation starts due to the intense heat and heat waves prevailing in the state. As per the directives sent to the District Basic Education Officers of all the districts on Thursday, Basic Education Director Pratap Singh Baghel has mentioned that students will come to the school for studies between 7:30 to 12:30, during which time versatile activities in the school will be held from 7:30 to 7:40 and recess will be from 10:00 to 10:15. Nonetheless, school timing will be from 7:30 to 1:30. Shiksha Mitra and instructors in addition to teachers and non-teaching staff will be in the school from 7:30 to 1:30 and perform educational, administrative and additional duties required for the day. In case of recognized schools, authorized decisions will rest with the school management committee.

There has been no growths in the enrollment of school aged children.

Due to the age restriction of above six years, the enrollment of children in primary schools is not increasing. Rural as well as urban teachers are searching for children in homes in an attempt to increase enrollment. Parents are forced to enroll these children in private schools. Students are admitted in nursery, LKG and UKG classes at private institutions without any issues. Teachers are of the opinion that, If the age limit is not changed, this time the enrollment will be lesser than before. In an order passed on 28 March 2025, Basic Education Director Pratap Singh Baghel directed BSA in his order that children, who will complete 6 years of age by 31st July, should be enrolled at class one.

1618 primary schools running in Lucknow

Lucknow also has 1618 primary and upper primary schools. A good number of children are to be coming to the upper primary schools for admission to class 6. School wise 20 to 50 children have been admitted but on an average only 10 to 15 children have been admitted in class 1. In some schools this number is even less. The headmaster of a primary school located in zone two says that only 10 children have been admitted in class 1 for the set of children. Eight children were two to three months short of completing six years of age. So these children have not been admitted. Bal Vatika classes are being conducted in Anganwadi centers opened in primary schools. In rural areas a large number of children who are attending Anganwadi centres are going to be not getting admission in class 1 because they are two to three months junior in terms of age.