Union Government Guidelines for Co-locating Anganwadis
In a significant move to enhance early childhood education, the Union government has issued guidelines to co-locate approximately 11 lakh anganwadis with primary schools. This initiative, launched on September 3, 2025, aims to ensure a seamless transition for children from early learning to formal schooling in Class 1.
Purpose and Scope
- Anganwadi centres focus on the nutrition and early education of children aged 0-6 years.
- The goal is to facilitate the co-location of anganwadis with schools to improve accessibility to pre-primary education for lower-income groups.
Current Status
- Out of 14 lakh anganwadis, nearly 2.9 lakh have been co-located with nearby schools.
- There are about 11 lakh anganwadis yet to be mapped or co-located.
Initiative Details
The guidelines, issued jointly by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), establish a roadmap for states and union territories to enhance co-location efforts.
- Emphasis on the synergy between anganwadi staff and school teachers through joint activities and curriculum alignment.
- Introduction of the ‘Aadharshila’ curriculum for children aged 3-6 years to enhance educational continuity.
Data Management and Tracking
- Need for reconciliation between Poshan Tracker and UDISE+ databases to avoid data duplication.
- Inclusion of co-located anganwadis in the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).
- Provision of Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry IDs (APAAR IDs) for children aged 3-6 in anganwadis for effective tracking.
- Potential integration with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for seamless ID management from birth.
Challenges and Solutions
- Limited convergence between anganwadis and schools despite physical co-location.
- Gaps in access to basic facilities like electricity and learning resources for co-located anganwadis.
- Recommendation for critical evaluation of co-location models to ensure effectiveness.
Guidelines mandate that anganwadis, when relocated, should not force beneficiaries to travel more than 500 meters in urban areas and 1 km in rural areas. Additionally, efforts should be made to avoid physically co-locating more than two anganwadis in a single school.