NEP 2020 transforms early education in government schools

Source: The post NEP 2020 transforms early education in government schools has been created, based on the article “Transforming early childhood care and education” published in “The Hindu ” on 1st August 2025.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has initiated a major transformation in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in India. Historically limited to Anganwadis in the public sector, ECCE is now expanding into government schools, aiming to address inequity and enhance the quality of preschool education nationwide.

For detailed information on National Education Policy 2020 – Significance & Challenges read this article here

Structural Expansion of ECCE

1. Inclusion of Preschool in Government Schools: NEP 2020 introduces preschool classes (Balvatika 1–3) in government schools for children aged 3–6. This expansion breaks the earlier norm where public education began at Class 1, thereby promoting educational equity.
2. Anticipated Growth in Infrastructure: India’s ECCE infrastructure, long stagnant with about 14 lakh Anganwadis, is set to grow as government schools now begin to accommodate preschoolers. This shift will significantly increase the number of public ECCE centres.
3. Implications for Human Resources: The expansion demands increased financing, recruitment, and training of ECCE professionals. Effective personnel management will be essential for delivering quality education.
4. Budget Allocation and State Response: The Ministry of Education has begun funding ECCE through Samagra Shiksha. While some States and UTs have initiated preschool classes, others have either not started or have only partially used the funds, limiting progress.

Shift from Anganwadis to Schools

1. Educational Emphasis over Nutrition: There is a noticeable move towards prioritising education over health and nutrition in ECCE. This is evident in UTs like Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, where preschool classes have been introduced in all primary schools.
2. Parental Preference for Schools: Parents increasingly choose schools over Anganwadis for children aged 4–6, perceiving better education opportunities. This shift endangers the traditional identity of Anganwadis as early childhood hubs.
3. Need for Anganwadi Adaptation: To remain relevant, Anganwadis must integrate education as a core service. The ‘Poshan bhi Padhai bhi’ initiative from the Ministry of Women and Child Development aims to address this, but its success hinges on proper ground-level implementation.
4. Avoiding Over-Schooling in Preschools
   Government schools must guard against excessive ‘schoolification’. Play-based learning must remain central to preschool education to ensure holistic skill development beyond early literacy.

Reorienting Anganwadi Focus to 0–3 Year Olds

1. Significance of Home Visits: Global and Indian research highlights the developmental importance of home visits for children aged 0–3. The ‘Perry Preschool at 50’ study in the United States and a Yale University–Pratham study in Odisha demonstrate that home-based early interventions can yield long-term cognitive and behavioural benefits.
2. Policy Recommendations Supporting Shift: Policymakers such as Dr. V.K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog, and N.C. Saxena, retired IAS officer and former Planning Commission member, have long advocated focusing on infants and toddlers within the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) framework. They stress the need to prioritise the early years due to their lasting impact on human development.
3. Operational Constraints: Despite such recommendations, overburdened Anganwadi workers often focus on the 3–6 age group physically present at centres. This leaves limited time and energy for conducting home visits for 0–3 year olds and supporting pregnant or lactating mothers.
4. A Unique Opportunity for Transformation: If government schools continue to take over the education of 3–6-year-olds, the Anganwadi system can redirect its core function to 0–3-year-olds and maternal health. This realignment, already envisioned in NEP 2020, can mark a transformative change in India’s early childhood care model.

Question for practice:

Discuss how the National Education Policy 2020 is reshaping Early Childhood Care and Education in India through structural shifts in preschool expansion, Anganwadi roles, and emphasis on home-based interventions.