Students aged under 11 can apply for admission to class 6: HC

The High Court today cleared the way for students aged under 11 to apply for admission to class six in government high schools across the country.

In response to a writ petition, the court stayed the effectiveness of a government circular that imposed a condition that students aged under 11 cannot apply for admission to class six in public high schools.

It also issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks why the circular should not be declared illegal.

The stay order will continue till disposal of the rule.

At the same time, the HC directed the authorities concerned of the government to extend the time for submitting applications for admission through online for seven working days, as many students could not submit the applications due to internet and server problems.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the order following a writ petition filed by Mohammad Mijanur Rahman, guardian of a student named Ayesha Khanam, seeking necessary directives on this issue.

Ayesha Khanam's application was not accepted for admission as her age was below 11 years.

Petitioner's lawyer Aynun Nahar Siddiqua told The Daily Star that the education ministry issued a circular in 2017 that the students who were born after January 1, 2010 cannot apply for admission to class six in government high schools.

According to two other circulars issued by the education ministry, the minimum age for admission to classes eight and ten are 12 years and 14 respectively.

Therefore, the ages of the students, who will get administration to class six after attaining 11 years, will much higher when they will be promoted to class eight and ten according to the 2017 circular and a discrimination involving the age will take place, the lawyer said.

Lawyers Aneek R Haque and Manjur Elahi Parag also appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.