The Foundational stage under the National Education Policy will cover school education from Pre Primary to Grade 2. It will cover the age group of 3-8 years. The foundational stage seeks to encourage holistic development by cultivating all aspects of a child’s growth. This includes fostering social skills, cognitive development, emotional intelligence, physical well-being, and creativity. 

The Preparatory Stage under the National Education Policy will cover school education from Grade 3 to Grade 5 with a focus on experimental learning. It will cover the age group of 8-11 years. The focus would shift to play, discovery and activity-based and interaction classroom learning. It will lay a solid groundwork across subjects, including reading, writing, speaking, physical education, art, languages, science, and mathematics. 

The Middle stage under the National Education Policy will cover school education from Grade 6 to Grade 8. It will cover the age group of 11-14 years. The Middle Stage, will see a greater focus on subject learning and discussion of more abstract concepts in subjects like sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities. It helps in preparing students across various streams. Experiential learning is explored in relations with different subjects. 

The Secondary stage under the National Education Policy will cover school education from Grade 9 to Grade 12. It will cover the age group of 14-18 years. The Secondary Stage will comprise of four years of multidisciplinary study, building on the subject-oriented pedagogical and curricular style of the Middle Stage, but with greater depth, greater critical thinking, greater attention to life aspirations, and  greater flexibility and student choice of subjects.