Parliament Question: AWCs Co-located with Schools

**Executive Summary** This document is an answer to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the co-location of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) with schools, to be answered on December 12, 2025. It outlines the Government's initiatives to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by improving convergence between the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL). Key actions include issuing joint advisories and guidelines on co-locating AWCs with Government Primary Schools, with a detailed advisory issued on September 3, 2025. **Key Points / Main Content** * **Government Initiatives:** * The Government is working to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). * This is achieved by enhancing convergence between the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL). * **Joint Advisory and Guidelines:** * A Joint Advisory was issued on April 2, 2025, focused on convergence between MoWCD and DoSEL, including co-location of AWCs with Government Primary Schools. * Detailed Guidelines for Co-locating AWCs with Government Primary Schools were issued on September 3, 2025. * **Co-location Strategies:** * Mapping of AWCs with the nearest school to support school readiness and early learning continuity. * Encouraging the co-location of new AWCs within school campuses, contingent upon infrastructure availability. * In cases where physical co-location is not feasible, AWCs should be mapped with the nearest primary school. * **Overall Objectives:** * The guidelines aim to strengthen foundational learning. * The guidelines aim to ensure improved access and seamless transition from pre-school to primary school. * **Co-location Data:** * As per the UDISE+ portal, 2,99,546 AWCs have been co-located with Government schools across the country. **Impact Analysis** **Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL)** * **Impact**: The MoWCD and DoSEL are directly involved in implementing and overseeing the co-location of AWCs with schools, requiring coordinated efforts. * **Action Required**: The Ministries must continue to collaborate and monitor the implementation of the guidelines to ensure effective convergence and achievement of ECCE goals. **Government Primary Schools** * **Impact**: Government Primary Schools will need to accommodate AWCs and adapt to a new co-location of students * **Action Required**: Ensure infrastructure and resources are available to accommodate co-located AWCs, and establish coordinated educational programmes **Anganwadi Centers (AWCs)** * **Impact**: AWC’s and their members will see operational and structural changes due to the co-location of new AWCs within school campuses, subject to requisite infrastructure availability * **Action Required**: Adapt to new resources and learning environment.

Key Entities Referenced