ECCE POLICIES, SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES IN INDIA

1 47 ecce policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES in IndiaEARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATIONN otes4 ecce policies , SCHEMES ANDPROGRAMMES IN INDIAC hildren are the future of our country. They are the responsibility of all thestakeholders viz. family, community, school and the government. It is wellrecognized that survival and development of children are dependent on what isplanned and done for them. Ensuring access by all children to quality care andearly childhood development is a priority . The Governmentof INDIA has initiatedand implemented many policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES to cater to the welfareof all children.

2 These initiatives serve as pathways for creating a conduciveenvironment and facilitating children during their early stages of developmentand this lesson, you will study some of policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES thathave been implemented so far for the holistic development and wellbeing OUTCOMESA fter studying this lesson, you will be able to: explain the need for government initiatives for ecce ; discuss major policies related to ecce ; and describe various SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES of NEED FOR GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR ECCEAll children must have access to opportunities of healthy development andlearning in a safe and conducive environment.

3 Not only in INDIA but the worldover, people have realized the significance of early years in the rapid developmentof children in all domains. At the national and international levels, severalEARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATIONECCE policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES in INDIA 48 Notesinitiatives have been taken to ensure children s right to survival, development ,protection and participation. The Government of INDIA is one the most importantstakeholders in ensuring quality ecce to children. INDIA has been signatory tomany conventions to ensure needs and rights of children are respected andprovided to the years, the government has formulated many policiesand SCHEMES to raise the quality of services provided to us study some of the Government initiatives in this policies AND PLANSIn Article 39.

4 The Constitution of INDIA provides that the State shall direct itspolicy towards ensuring that children are given opportunities and facilities todevelop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and thatchildhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral andmaterial abandonment. To ensure survival, health, nutrition, care and education of young children in theearly years, various interventions are done at the national, state and district levelsfrom time to National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 The Government of INDIA had formulated the National Policy on Education (NPE)in 1986 to promote education for the welfare of all its citizens.

5 The policy focuseson the overall development of young children and visualizes ecce as animportant factor strengthening primary education in the country. The policy alsoconsiders ecce as important for human resource development . It stresses onpromoting a child-centred and play-based ecce programme . It discourages theuse of formal methods and introduction of the 3Rs at an early stage. It alsorecommends the involvement of the local community in the ecce National Nutrition Policy, 1993 Adequate and healthy nutrition is vital for holistic development of children.

6 Thepolicy was formulated by the Government of INDIA to tackle the problem of under-nutrition and malnutrition in the country, thereby aiming to improve the nutritionalstatus across society. The policy states the need to expand Integrated ChildDevelopment Services (ICDS) and other similar PROGRAMMES in order to coverthe entire population of children in INDIA . It implies that mothers be given propersupport and information on effective nutrition for the growth of their policy also calls on state governments to take concerted efforts andrecommends the setting up of State Level Nutrition Council for improving thenutritional standards.

7 49 ecce policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES in IndiaEARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND The National Policy for Children (NPC), 2013 The Government of INDIA adopted the first National Policy for Children (NPC)in 1974 asone of the major initiativesfor the wellbeing of children. The policydeclared children as, supremely important asset for the nation. The NPC, 1974was revised in 2013, reaffirming commitment to healthy development andprotection of all children. NPC, 2013 identifies survival, health, nutrition, development , education, protection and participation as the undeniable right ofevery child and the key priority .

8 The policy also directs states to take all necessarymeasures to provide universal and equitable access to ecce for optimaldevelopment of all National Early Childhood Care and Education Policy, 2013 The Government of INDIA approved theNat io na l Ea rly Childho o d Ca re a ndEducation ( ecce ) Policy in 2013. ThePolicy framework also includes the NationalECCE Curriculum Framework and QualityStandards for Policy commits to universal access toquality early childhood education to allchildren under six years of age.

9 The visiono f t he po licy is t o , ac hieve ho list icdevelopment and active learning capacity ofall children below six years of age bypro mo t ing free, universal, inclusive,eq uit a ble, jo yful and co nt ext u alisedopportunities for laying foundation andattaining full potential. Access with equity and inclusion, improving quality, strengthening capacity,research and documentation and advocacy and awareness generation are the keyareas of the policy recognizes that young children are best cared for in their familyenvironment and thus strengthening family capabilities to care for and protectthe child will receive the highest The National Health Mission (NHM)

10 The National Health Mission was launched in NHM envisages achievement of universal accessto equitable, affordable and quality health care servicesthat are accountable and responsive to people sEARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATIONECCE policies , SCHEMES and PROGRAMMES in INDIA 50 Notesneeds. The main programmatic components include Health System Strengthening,Re pro d uct ive-Mat er nal- Neo nat al-Child and Ado lesce nt H ealt h, a ndCommunicable and Non-Communicable Diseases. ecce in the 12thFive Year Plan(2012-17)The Five Year Plans have also acknowledged the importance of ecce forlaying the foundation of lifelong development .