Abstract

With the acceptance of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and subsequent developments such as National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN BHARAT) by the Government of India, the country has redefined the early years for education as covering children between 3–5 year-olds to 3-8 year-olds, which is close to a widely acceptable definition of early years internationally. However, it has also opened up a massive challenge regarding both the conceptual understanding of the early year education and the systemic capacity and preparedness to deliver the early childhood education effectively and equitably.

While prior studies have concentrated on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as a whole, this investigation centers on the idea of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), particularly in the contexts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. This scoping study tries to understand these challenges from the perspective of developing an advocacy plan for incorporating a ‘breadth of skills’ (BOS) or a holistic approach to education at a foundational level using mixed methods – literature reviews, consultations with experts, and fieldwork.

Ghatak, N., Jha, J. and Chaudhary, R. (2022). Scoping Study: Curriculum, Learning and Assessment of foundational learning in India to provide a road map to incorporate holistic skill development at foundational level. Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, India and Save the Children, India.