Abstract

This report summarises the findings of the three research studies on ECCE undertaken:

1. 1. Status of ECCE: Provisions and Gaps in India, with special focus on three states (Delhi, Odisha and Telangana)
   2. Analysis of ICDS: Provisions and Budgets
   3. Analysis of the Costs and Resources of select non-ICDS ECCE models.

 

Drawing on these studies, it provides certain critical insights for policy, organised under four heads: (i) quality (ii) costs and cost-norms (iii) scaling and (iv) resources. The underlying concern across all four heads discussed is the issue of ensuring equity in the current scenario wherein the ECCE sector remains unregulated and highly differentiated, with multiple models and options that are differentially available to children of different socio-economic groups.

Within this context, the report calls for:

• A strong regulatory framework which defines a set of ‘non-acceptable/non negotiable’ provisions and practices, that ensure developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) of ECCE but also allow for innovation and contextually-relevant programmes
• Defining non-negotiable cost heads while also setting ‘ranges’ rather than fixed costs and ceilings, to ensure equitable provisions and provisions of similar quality for all
• The need to plan large centralised programmes (such as ICDS) appropriately by understanding how economies of scale operate and how these cannot be reduced to per child costs
• The need to pay attention to innovative ways of resource-sharing and resource generation, both across government bodies and agencies as well as between state and non-state agencies, to achieve maximum efficiency in programmes.

This report is part of a series of four reports about the state of ECCE in India, the collection of which must be read together to make complete sense. For more information refer to the following link.

CBPS. (2018, March). Research studies on ECCE - recommendations and policy directions for ECCE in India: lessons drawn from the three research reports on ECCE. Bengaluru: Centre for Budget and Policy Studies.