Bal Vatika is a preparatory or preschool year introduced under NEP 2020, for children of around age five, in the year before Class 1. It forms the top of the new foundational stage, which spans the early-childhood years and Classes 1 and 2, with learning through play and activity. Kendriya Vidyalayas and many state and private schools have begun offering a Bal Vatika class.
In Indian schools
Adding a Bal Vatika means another early entry point to admit for and another batch to run, at the busiest end of a school's intake. An admissions pipeline that captures each enquiry by the year applied for keeps that new stage from becoming another spreadsheet.