Page 13 - Final Lesson-4.pmd

ECCE Policies, Schemes and Programmes in India

4.5.1 Government Sector
As you have read in the previous section, the Government of India has taken
several initiatives to provide care, health, nutrition and learning experiences and Notes
education to all young children. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
scheme introduced in 1975 is one of the world’s largest programmes mandated
to provide ECCE. In the previous sections of this lesson, you have studied about
the services and objectives of the ICDS. These services are provided through
centres called Anganwadi. These centres aim to provide a stimulating and enriched
environment to children for their holistic development.

4.5.2 Private Sector
The private sector is also one of the service providers of ECCE. It includes
stand-alone pre-schools, self-owned preschools and franchises.The outreach of
these schools is steadily spreading even into the rural areas across the country.
The quality of services provided by them varies which needs to be regulated.

4.5.3 Non-Government Sector

The ECCE services are also being provided by voluntary or Non-Governmental
Organisations. These are largely run by trusts, societies, religious groups and
funded by government and international funding agencies. Their outreach and
the types of services provided by them also vary.

There is a need to harmonise the activities of all these service providers. The
concerned authorities must ensure that they work in accordance with the service
delivery norms, standards and regulations of the state.

WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT
In this lesson, you have learnt:

 Various policies and plans formulated by the Government of India for
ensuring quality early childhood care and education to all children of the
country. These interventions aim to improve the quality of health, nutrition,
care and education provided to young children in the early years.

 The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 focuses on the overall
development of young children and visualizes ECCE as an important factor
strengthening primary education in the country.
 National Nutrition Policy, 1993 was formulated by the Government of India
to address to the problem of under-nutrition and malnutrition in the country.

 The National Policy for Children (NPC), 2013 reaffirms commitment to
healthy development and protection of all children. It identifies survival,

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 59