Delhi's nursery admission age is counted on one fixed date — and every year, some parents discover their child misses it by a few days or weeks. If your child was born in April 2024, this is the post for you: the 30-day age relaxation may let you apply for Nursery in 2027-28 instead of waiting a year.
Here is what the rule says, who can use it, how to ask, and what to do if the school says no. For the full age table and a quick check, use our nursery admission age guide and eligibility checker.
The 31 March rule
For the 2027-28 session, a child's age is counted on 31 March 2027 — not on the day you apply:
| Class | Age on 31 March 2027 | Born between |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery | 3+ years | 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 |
| LKG | 4+ years | 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 |
| UKG | 5+ years | 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022 |
| Class 1st | 6+ years | 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 |
So a child born on 31 March 2024 is just old enough for Nursery, and a child born on 1 April 2024 is one day too young.
What the 30-day relaxation is
School heads may relax the age by up to 30 days. In practice, a child born between 1 and 30 April 2024 can ask to be considered for Nursery in 2027-28:
- Born 1 April 2024 — one day short of the cut-off: within the relaxation.
- Born 30 April 2024 — 30 days short: still within it.
- Born 1 May 2024 or later — more than 30 days short: outside it. Your child will be eligible for Nursery the following year.
Two things matter more than anything else: the request must be in writing, when you apply, and the decision is the school's. The relaxation is a possibility, not a right.
How to ask
- Check the school's own instructions first. Some schools mention the relaxation in their admission criteria or form; follow their process if they have one.
- Write a short letter to the head of the school and submit it with the application — not after the lists come out.
- Keep it simple. We suggest including the child's name and date of birth, the class you are applying for (Nursery, 2027-28), a one-line request to be considered under the up-to-30-days age relaxation, and a copy of the birth certificate. (This is JEC's practical advice, not an official format.)
- Keep a copy of the letter and your application acknowledgement for every school.
Apply this way at each school on your list — one school's decision tells you nothing about another's.
It's the school's decision — so plan for both answers
Because the relaxation is discretionary, don't build your whole plan around it:
- Apply broadly. Spread your applications across several schools where you score well on points, so a refusal at one doesn't end your season. Our points system guide shows how to judge where you score well.
- Keep the next year in mind. If no school grants it, your child is simply eligible for Nursery the following year — with a full extra year to prepare.
Noida and Gurgaon: different dates, different names
Outside Delhi, the rules aren't uniform — and an April-born child sometimes fits without any relaxation:
- Many CBSE schools in Noida and Gurgaon follow the same rule as Delhi: 3+ years on 31 March for Nursery.
- Some international schools use a different cut-off date — Heritage International, DLF Phase 5 (IB) uses 3+ years on 1 July, so a child born in April 2024 is already 3 by then.
- Some schools start with Pre-Nursery at 3+, which puts Nursery at 4+ — DPS Sector 45, Gurgaon asks for 4+ years on 1 April for Nursery. Heritage Sector 62 & 64 (CBSE) has Pre-Nursery at 2+ and Nursery at 3+ on 31 March.
- International schools often name classes differently (Early Years 1 / EY1, Foundation Stage) — compare by age, not by the class name.
Parents in Noida and Gurgaon report that very few schools formally offer an age relaxation — don't assume it; ask the admissions office in writing first. Browse schools in Noida and Gurgaon.
Quick answers
My child was born in April 2024. Can they get nursery admission for 2027-28?
Normally no — they'll be 2 on 31 March 2027. If they were born up to 30 April 2024, you can ask the school in writing for the up-to-30-days age relaxation when you apply; it's the school's decision.
On what date is the age calculated?
On 31 March 2027 — 31 March of the year the session starts — not on the day you apply.
Which document proves my child's age?
The child's birth certificate, with the child's name on it. Make sure the date of birth on the form matches it exactly — a mismatch can cost the seat at document verification. See our documents required for nursery admission.
Next: check your child's class with the eligibility checker, read the Delhi nursery admission 2027-28 guide, and start your shortlist on Explore.
Not sure where your child fits? JEC's team checks age, points and documents for every school on your list — talk to us.