India, March 4 -- What is the price of being born just a few days "too late"? For many parents in Bengaluru and Karnataka, it is the devastating realisation that their child's academic progress could hit a wall due to the age-eligibility criteria for Class 1 admissions in the 2026-27 academic year. Speaking to HT.com, parents expressed their deep anxiety over the emotional toll this is taking on their little ones. Beyond the staggering financial burden, with some having already poured up to Rs.10 lakh into pre-schooling, lies a more fragile cost: a child's self-esteem. Parents fear that forcing a successful UKG graduate back into the same seat will turn curiosity into resentment.

HT.com spoke with concerned parents primarily based in Ben...