Union Cabinet Cleared Proposal for Regulating Crèches, Playschools in India

Union Cabinet on 20 September 2013 cleared a proposal for regulating and monitoring the quality of care and education provided to children at play schools and crèches across the country. The move is expected to directly benefit 158.7 million children who are under the age of six.

The Cabinet approved the draft policy of the National Early Childhood Care and Education (NECCE) for setting up of a national council to establish guidelines for the standardisation of teaching and learning aids, trained manpower, sanitation and hygiene norms etc. in play schools and day care centres.

The new policy proposes to set standards for the care givers which will follow a set curriculum framework. It will move towards self registration to regulation.

The approved policy also specifies the minimum qualification required to be teachers at such centres, which will now have to be registered with the Government under this policy. Under the policy, a curriculum framework and quality standards have to be developed.

The policy would be implemented through National and state ECCE Councils but the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development will have the power to make necessary changes in it.