Goa raises Class 1 age to six: India slows school entry, but the real alarm rings in pre-schools

Goa has introduced the Goa School Education Bill, 2026 to make six the minimum age for Class 1 entry, aligning its law with NEP 2020 and the RTE framework. The move reflects a wider national push to slow down early formal schooling. But the real pressure point is pre-school: Studies suggest that quality and readiness remain uneven.