Early years: pre-school to Class 5

What you need to know

1. 1
   A child's brain grows faster in the first five years than at any other time. Talking, playing, reading and good food at home matter as much as school.
2. 2
   Under the new school structure, the foundational stage is age 3 to 8: three years of pre-school or Anganwadi, then Class 1 and 2. Class 3 to 5 is the preparatory stage.
3. 3
   Good news for every family: free pre-school at Anganwadis, free private-school seats for poorer families under the Right to Education Act, and free books, meals and apps.
4. 4
   The big goal: every child should read with understanding and do basic maths by Class 2–3. Many children don't yet, so watch closely and help early.

Official sources

• static.pib.gov.inPIB: NIPUN Bharat, reading and maths for every child (PDF)↗

Inside this branch

• Every year: the calendar
• Age 3–6: pre-school3 more
• Starting school3 more
• Reading and maths: the base2 more
• Free learning at home1 more
• Health and growth2 more
• If your child needs extra help1 more
• Keeping children safe1 more
• Class 5: the preparation year1 more
• For girls1 more
• IDs and papers1 more
• Avoid admission scams1 more

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Free private-school seats (RTE 25%): online forms usually January–April (some states into May), then a computer lottery.
2. 2
   Kendriya Vidyalaya Balvatika and Class 1: online registration usually late March to early April.
3. 3
   New school session: usually April; some states start in June.
4. 4
   Deworming days: 10 February and 10 August, free tablets at school and Anganwadi.
5. 5
   In Class 5: Navodaya entrance forms usually June–August; Sainik School (AISSEE) forms usually October–November.
6. 6
   Exact dates change every year: always check the official website before you apply.

Official sources

• admission.kvs.gov.inKendriya Vidyalaya online admission↗
• cbseitms.rcil.gov.inNavodaya entrance (JNVST) application↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 6

• Official
  e-Jaadui Pitara (NCERT)Play-based rhymes, stories and activities for ages 3–8, in Hindi and many Indian languages.
  Free
• App
  e-Jaadui Pitara app (NCERT)The same content on your phone.
  Free
• Official
  Ministry of WCD: Aadharshila and NavchetanaThe national pre-school plans for ages 0–3 and 3–6, in Hindi and English.
  Free
• Official
  Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0What your Anganwadi should give: food, pre-school and health links.
  Free
• Video
  NCERT Official (YouTube)Hindi rhymes and stories alongside lessons.
  Free
• Video
  Pratham Books (YouTube)Read-aloud stories in Indian languages.
  Free

Inside this branch

• What good pre-school looks like
• Free Anganwadi pre-school
• Private play schools

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Play, songs, stories, drawing and talking, in the child's home language. No exams, no tests, and little or no written homework.
2. 2
   The government's national pre-school plan (Aadharshila, age 3–6) is a 48-week, play-based programme; Navchetana covers birth to age 3.

Official sources

• wcd.gov.inMinistry of WCD: Aadharshila and Navchetana (pre-school curricula)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Your local Anganwadi gives free pre-school (at least 2 hours of play-based learning a day), free nutrition and health check-ups.
2. 2
   NCERT's Jaadui Pitara is a box of toys, puppets and story cards for ages 3–8; it is also free as an app.

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Most private play schools are not properly regulated. National guidelines say no admission below age 3, no capitation fee, and 3–4 hours a day at most.
2. 2
   Before paying, visit, check it is safe, clean and play-based, and avoid any school that tests or interviews a 3-year-old.

Official sources

• ncpcr.gov.inNCPCR: guidelines for private play schools (PDF)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 7

• Official
  Delhi: free seats (EWS/DG) admissionsDelhi's online RTE lottery for Nursery, KG and Class 1.
  Free
• Official
  Uttar Pradesh: RTE 25% admission portalUP's online RTE form and lottery.
  Free
• Official
  Maharashtra: RTE 25% admission portalApplication, school list, lottery and waiting list.
  Free
• Official
  Kendriya Vidyalaya online admissionBalvatika and Class 1 registration each spring.
  Free
• Official
  Know Your School (UDISE+)Check a school is listed before paying any fee.
  Free
• Official
  PM SHRI schoolsSee whether a nearby government school is being upgraded.
  Free
• Official
  Right to Education (Ministry of Education)The law on free schooling for ages 6–14 and the 25% seats.
  Free

Inside this branch

• The right age for Class 1
• Free seats in private schools (RTE)
• Your rights at admission

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   The Centre has asked every state to make 6 years the minimum age for Class 1. Most states follow it; a few still allow 5+. Check your state.
2. 2
   Many government and Kendriya Vidyalaya schools now have Balvatika (pre-primary) classes for ages 3–6.

Official sources

• onmanorama.comOnmanorama: Centre asks states to make 6 the age for Class 1↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Under the Right to Education Act, private schools must keep at least 25% of seats in the entry class (pre-primary or Class 1) for children from poorer and disadvantaged families, free until Class 8.
2. 2
   Apply online on your state portal; seats are given by lottery. Income limits differ by state (Delhi is ₹5 lakh a year; many states are lower, reported).
3. 3
   Keep ready: birth certificate, address proof, parent's Aadhaar, income certificate, and caste certificate if applicable.

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   No school may take a capitation fee or test or interview your child or you for admission (RTE). Physical punishment and harassment are banned.
2. 2
   Government schools give free textbooks and a free hot midday meal; Kendriya Vidyalayas admit Class 1 by lottery, with no test.

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Inside this branch

• What children should manage
• What you can do at home

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   By the end of Class 2–3, a child should read a simple story with understanding and do basic addition and subtraction.
2. 2
   Many don't yet: only about 1 in 4 Class 3 children in rural government schools could read a Class 2 text in a recent national survey (ASER 2024), though it is improving.
3. 3
   Class 1 starts with a 12-week play-based "school readiness" period (Vidya Pravesh).

Official sources

• diksha.gov.inVidya Pravesh: school readiness for Class 1 (PDF)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Read aloud or tell a story every day, in your own language. Ask questions about the pictures.
2. 2
   Count in daily life: rotis, steps, coins, change at the shop. Play games with numbers and shapes.
3. 3
   Talk a lot, listen, and praise effort. If you can't read yourself, use free story apps and radio or TV lessons.

Official sources

• ciet.ncert.gov.inNCERT Barkha: graded storybooks for Class 1–2↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 6

• Official
  NIPUN BharatThe national mission for reading and maths in the early classes.
  Free
• App
  DIKSHA (official app)Scan the QR code in any NCERT book to watch that lesson.
  Free
• Book
  NCERT textbooks (free PDF)Including Sarangi, Mridang and Joyful Mathematics for Class 1–2.
  Free
• Book
  StoryWeaver: free Hindi storybooksThousands of levelled picture books; read online or download.
  Free
• App
  Read Along by GoogleListens as your child reads aloud; Hindi supported, works offline, no ads.
  Free
• Official
  PM eVidya (free TV classes)One TV channel per class, plus digital lessons.
  Free

Inside this branch

• Free resources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   New NCERT books (free PDFs): Class 1–2 Mridang, Sarangi and Joyful Mathematics; Class 3–5 Santoor, Veena, Maths Mela and Our Wondrous World.
2. 2
   DIKSHA: scan the QR code in any NCERT book to watch a lesson. PM eVidya has free TV channels for each class.
3. 3
   Free storybooks in Indian languages on StoryWeaver, and Google's free Read Along app, which listens as a child reads.

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 5

• Official
  RBSK: free child health check-upsScreening for the 4Ds at Anganwadis and schools; explains District Early Intervention Centres.
  Free
• Official
  U-WIN (vaccination records)See and download your child's vaccine record and book doses.
  Free
• Official
  Anemia Mukt BharatFree iron tablets and deworming.
  Free
• Article
  Indian Academy of Pediatrics: screen time guidance (PDF)How much screen time is OK at each age.
  Free
• Official
  Indian Academy of PediatricsChild doctors' body: parent guidance and vaccine schedule.
  Free

Inside this branch

• Free health screening
• Screens and sleep

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   The government's RBSK teams check children for the "4Ds": defects at birth, deficiencies, diseases and developmental delays: at the Anganwadi twice a year and at school once a year, free.
2. 2
   Children who need help are sent to the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC), also free.
3. 3
   Keep vaccinations up to date (U-WIN keeps a digital record), and give deworming tablets on deworming days.

Official sources

• rbsk.mohfw.gov.inRBSK: free child health check-ups↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Doctors' guidance (Indian Academy of Pediatrics): no screens under 2 (video calls are fine), at most 1 hour a day for ages 2–5, and under 2 hours for ages 5–10, with an adult around.
2. 2
   Play outdoors, good sleep and good food help learning more than any app.

Official sources

• indianpediatrics.netIndian Academy of Pediatrics: screen time guidelines (PDF, 2022)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 6

• Official
  UDID card portalApply for the free disability certificate and ID card.
  Free
• App
  PRASHAST: NCERT disability screening checklistScreens for 21 conditions including dyslexia; leads to referral, not a diagnosis.
  Free
• Official
  Inclusive education (Samagra Shiksha)What government schools must provide children with special needs.
  Free
• Official
  NIEPIDNational institute for intellectual and developmental disabilities; Hindi available.
  Free
• Article
  Madras Dyslexia AssociationDyslexia awareness and screening information (free to read).
  Free
• Official
  Rehabilitation Council of IndiaCheck a therapist or special educator is registered.
  Free

Inside this branch

• Act early

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   If your child is late to talk, walk, read or write, or struggles much more than others, ask the Anganwadi worker, teacher or RBSK team. Dyslexia and other learning difficulties are recognised disabilities and can be helped.
2. 2
   Children with disabilities have the right to free education from age 6 to 18, plus aids, transport or escort help, Braille books and stipends for girls. A free UDID card makes it easier to get support.

Official sources

• dsel.education.gov.inMinistry of Education: inclusive education↗
• swavlambancard.gov.inUDID card (disability ID)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 5

• Official
  NCPCR (child rights commission)File a complaint online about a child's rights.
  Free
• Official
  POCSO e-BoxA confidential way for a child or parent to report sexual abuse.
  Free
• Official
  Mission Vatsalya: Child Helpline 1098Child protection scheme; 1098 is linked to emergency number 112.
  Free
• Official
  Cyber crime portal (helpline 1930)Report online abuse of children, even anonymously.
  Free
• Video
  CyberDost (Ministry of Home Affairs)Short videos on online safety.
  Free

Inside this branch

• Safety and rights

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Teach your child the names of body parts and that no one may touch them in a way that feels wrong, and to tell you. Believe them.
2. 2
   Child in danger or being abused? Call 1098 (Childline) or 112. Sexual abuse of children is a serious crime under the POCSO Act.
3. 3
   No school may hit or humiliate a child. Keep phones shared and supervised, and never share a child's photos widely.

Official sources

• ncpcr.gov.inNational Commission for Protection of Child Rights↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 6

• Official
  JNVST (Navodaya) Class 6 applicationThe online form for the Navodaya entrance; no fee.
  Free
• Official
  Eklavya Model Residential SchoolsFree residential schools for tribal children; state entrance tests for Class 6.
  Free
• Official
  Sukanya Samriddhi AccountSavings for a girl under 10, from ₹250 a year.
  Free
• Official
  Baal Aadhaar and updates (UIDAI)Blue Aadhaar for under-5s; free biometric update at 5 and 15.
  Free
• Official
  APAAR IDLifelong student ID for school records.
  Free
• Official
  AISSEE: Sainik School entranceClass 6 entrance; there is an application fee.
  Paid

Inside this branch

• Big free schools from Class 6

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Navodaya Vidyalayas: free residential schools, mostly for rural children. The entrance test is taken in Class 5; forms usually June–August, free to apply.
2. 2
   Sainik Schools (girls too): entrance (AISSEE) in Class 5, forms usually October–November. Eklavya schools for tribal children: state entrance tests for Class 6.
3. 3
   See the Class 6–8 roadmap for what comes next.

Official sources

• cbseitms.rcil.gov.inNavodaya entrance (JNVST) application↗
• exams.nta.nic.inNTA: Sainik School entrance (AISSEE)↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Inside this branch

• Invest in your daughter

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Girls now enrol in primary school as much as boys. Keep it that way through Class 12.
2. 2
   Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: a savings account for a girl under 10, from ₹250 a year, at a post office or bank, with a government-set interest rate; it matures at 21.
3. 3
   From Class 6, poor girls can study free in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya residential schools.

Official sources

• onmanorama.comOnmanorama: Sukanya Samriddhi rules explained↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Inside this branch

• Documents

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   Get a birth certificate early: you will need it for school admission and many schemes.
2. 2
   Baal Aadhaar (blue card) for under-5s; update fingerprints at age 5 and 15 (free), or it may stop working.
3. 3
   Your child's school can create an APAAR ID (a lifelong student ID); it needs your written consent.

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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Learn from these 4

• Official
  Know Your School (UDISE+)Check a school is real and listed before paying.
  Free
• Official
  PIB Fact CheckCheck fake 'free laptop' or scheme messages.
  Free
• Official
  Cyber crime portal (helpline 1930)Report admission or online fraud.
  Free
• Official
  Sanchar SaathiReport fraud calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages.
  Free

Inside this branch

• Red flags

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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What you need to know

1. 1
   RTE seats are free and given only by the official online lottery. Agents who promise a seat for money are fraudsters; one gang charged parents ₹50,000 to ₹1.5 lakh.
2. 2
   Check that a private school is recognised (ask for its recognition certificate and UDISE code). Unrecognised schools can cause problems later.
3. 3
   Fake "free laptop" or "scholarship for children" WhatsApp messages are scams: check on PIB Fact Check, and report fraud on 1930.

Official sources

• thehitavada.comThe Hitavada: fake RTE admission gang charged↗

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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