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When Aarav Patel applied for class 9, the school refused to register him, citing his age and CBSE regulations. As a result, they sought court intervention.
By two and a half years old, Aarav Patel had memorised the names and capitals of most countries. (Image: News18 Hindi)
The new education policy has established age requirements for admission to each class. According to this policy, a child must be 6 years old to enrol in class 1. However, some children exhibit extraordinary talent, with minds as sharp as supercomputers. Recently, a similar case emerged in Madhya Pradesh.
An 11-year-old boy, Aarav Patel’s academic journey is remarkable. He began his education early and excelled in every class. When he reached class 9, the school administration stopped his progression, citing his age as the reason. This raised the question: Should a child who consistently achieved A-grade in every class be held back due to age? Seeking justice, his family approached the Jabalpur High Court, which ruled that talent and age should be assessed separately.
The Ministry of Education and the New Education Policy (NEP 2020) mandate that the minimum age for class 1 is 6 years. This ensures children are ready for primary education after completing pre-primary education, promoting equality in cognitive development, language skills, and social adaptation. While this rule is designed for average children, it can hinder those with exceptional abilities. In such cases, flexibility in the policy can be beneficial.
Aarav’s father, Dilip Patel, a forest guard in Jabalpur, says he has been a genius since childhood. Born on March 19, 2014, Aarav quickly learned whatever his mother, Sandhya Patel, taught him at home. By two and a half years old, he had memorised the names and capitals of most countries.
Dilip Patel shared that when he was posted in Dewas district, teachers at a private school recognised Aarav’s exceptional abilities during admission discussions. They decided Aarav did not need nursery, KG-1, and KG-2 education and admitted him directly to class 1 at the age of 2.5 years. Aarav completed class 1 and class 2 within a year. In class 2, he was tasked with reciting multiplication tables beyond 25, which he did effortlessly.
The school then admitted Aarav directly to class 3 instead of class 2. According to Dilip Patel, Aarav continued to advance one class each year. After being transferred to Jabalpur, Aarav attended St. Joseph Convent Ranjhi, where he consistently achieved A+ grades from class 1 to 8. However, when he applied for class 9, the school refused to register him, citing his age and CBSE regulations. As a result, they sought court intervention.
Madhya Pradesh HC Directs IQ Test For Aarav
The Madhya Pradesh High Court took Aarav Patel’s case seriously. Justice Vishal Mishra ordered provisional admission for Aarav in class 9 and instructed the formation of a medical board comprising psychiatrists and consultants to evaluate his intelligence, behaviour, and social maturity. The court emphasised that being a minor should not overshadow extraordinary talent, considering the Right to Education (Article 21A).
To address CBSE’s age-related limitations, Aarav’s IQ test will determine his eligibility for class 9 admission. If his IQ level exceeds that of other children, he will be granted admission.
Aarav also runs a YouTube channel where he teaches math to 9th and 10th class students. He aspires to pursue B.Tech from IIT and later serve the country as an IAS officer, with interests in science and mathematics.
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