The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) in Bangladesh has issued an urgent notice revising the age criteria for student admissions from grades one to nine in both government and private secondary schools for the 2026 academic year. According to the updated policy, in line with the National Education Policy 2010, students must be at least six years old to enroll in grade one. However, for the 2026 session, the minimum age requirement is five years as of January 1, 2026, and the maximum is seven years as of December 31, 2026. The directive mandates submission of a verified copy of the online birth registration certificate with the admission application to confirm age. Additionally, students with special needs will be granted up to five extra years of age flexibility. The DSHE emphasized that the online admission process for all eligible schools across metropolitan, district, and upazila levels is currently ongoing.