{"id":25913,"date":"2022-11-03T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/?post_type=article&p=25913"},"modified":"2026-04-02T16:01:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T10:31:42","slug":"what-will-it-cost-to-universalise-early-childhood-education-in-india","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/kn-in\/article\/education\/what-will-it-cost-to-universalise-early-childhood-education-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"What will it cost to universalise early childhood education in India?"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the 2011 census, India is home to 99 million children<\/a> between three and six years of age, a period considered vital for growth. Researchers believe<\/a> that a child learns the most during this period of early childhood<\/a>—from birth until the age of six or eight years. The foundations of brain architecture and functioning, and subsequently lifelong developmental potential, are laid during this time.<\/p>

Cognisant of this fact, education policies in the country have time<\/a> and again<\/a> stated the need for equitable early childhood education (ECE). The National Education Policy 2020<\/a> has gone a step further and recommended the inclusion of young children within the structure of the school system and the universalisation of pre-primary education by 2030. However, a vision of such magnitude can only be brought to fruition with adequate resources and planning.<\/p>

Early childhood education in India<\/strong><\/h3>

Currently, the ECE system in India is a mix of incongruous programmes with different funding streams, service providers, and quality standards. Government is the largest provider of ECE, followed by the private sector, and nonprofits and other organisations that run preschools for a small proportion of children. The public sector delivers ECE through its network of anganwadi centres and preprimary schools across the country, but is able to cater to only 31.4 million<\/a> children. According to the National Sample Survey 75th Round report<\/a>, approximately 37 million children do not avail of any early education service, be it in the public or private sectors. Further, there are wide variations in access to quality ECE. For example, the annual average out-of-pocket expenditure per child varies from INR 1,030 in government institutions to as high as INR 12,834 in private institutions.<\/p>

\"What<\/a><\/div>

Poor allocation of public funds is one of the major roadblocks to effective planning and delivery of ECE in India. In 2020–21, the government allocated a meagre 0.1 percent<\/a> of the GDP to ECE and its average yearly spend of INR 8,297 per child is drastically lower than the amount required to meet the standards set by countries around the world<\/a>. Even within India, budget allocation varies across states. While Haryana allocated INR 16,506 per annum to each child in 2020–21, West Bengal’s allocation was only INR 5,346.<\/p>

A model for the future<\/h3>

What kind of financial investment will it take to make sure that India has a robust ECE system? To answer this question, the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability<\/a> along with Save the Children India<\/a> conducted a study<\/a> to estimate the cost of universalising quality ECE. Based on primary and secondary research, the study proposes the adoption of the following three models—that are aligned with the National Education Policy 2020<\/a>, widely prevalent, and scalable—to deliver ECE.<\/p>

1.<\/strong> Stand-alone preschool-cum-day-care centres<\/h3>

This model is suitable for urban areas, especially for children with working parents. The centre operates for six to eight hours, aligned to parents’ work timings, and has three ECE teachers, one centre head, and two helpers. Sixty children aged three to six can be enrolled at these centres. The infrastructure and facilities in the centre include a computer and an internet connection, a kitchen, a toilet, drinking water, furniture, and adequate educational material for the children. The centre has a minimum area of 800 square feet in addition to an outdoor area for play.<\/p>

2. Stand-alone anganwadi centre<\/h3>

This model meets all the quality parameters that apply to preschool-cum-day-care centres, and can be considered as an anganwadi centre of improved quality with two ECE teachers and one helper. It operates for three to four hours daily and can enrol 40 children in the three-to-six age group. The centre has a computer and an internet connection and\/or smartphones, a kitchen, a toilet, drinking water, furniture, and adequate educational material for children. It has a minimum area of 500–600 square feet in addition to an outdoor area for play.<\/p>

3. Pre-primary section in primary schools<\/h3>

This model is located within a primary school and is staffed with two ECE teachers and one helper. It can enrol 40 children in the three-to-six age group and operate for four hours. The infrastructure and facilities in the centre include a computer and an internet connection and\/or smartphones, furniture, and adequate educational material for children. The toilet and drinking water facilities are shared with the primary school. The infrastructure such as the space and classrooms within an existing primary school are utilised by the pre-primary sections as well.<\/p>

\"donate<\/a><\/div>
\"woman<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
Poor allocation of public funds is one of the major roadblocks to effective planning and delivery of ECE in India.  | Picture courtesy: Burhaan Kinu<\/a>\/ CC BY<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>

Cost of universal ECE<\/h3>

The study considers the following costs to deliver quality ECE:<\/p>