**Executive Summary:**
This document presents the Ministry of Education's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3603 regarding the introduction of preschool classes under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) since 2018. It details the number of government schools with preschool classes or colocated Anganwadi centres, the training of Anganwadi workers (AWWs) under the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) program, and the funds allocated and utilized by States/UTs. Data is current as of July 31, 2025, for AWW training.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Preschool Introduction:**
* Annexure I provides State/UT-wise data on the number of government schools with Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) or pre-primary sections, as per UDISE 2023-24 data.
* **Anganwadi Worker (AWW) Training (Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi - PBPB):**
* The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) launched the PBPB program on May 10, 2023, to strengthen Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) through Anganwadi Centres, aligned with NEP 2020 goals.
* AWWs are trained by the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) using Navchetana (0-3 years) and Aadharshila (3-6 years) frameworks, which align with NCERT's National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCFFS) and NIPUN Bharat.
* Training follows a two-tier model: State-Level Master Trainers (SLMTs) receive two-day training (Tier 1), who then train AWWs through a three-day interactive module (Tier 2).
* As of July 31, 2025, 5,81,326 AWWs have been trained under PBPB (State/UT-wise details in Annexure II).
* **Funds Allocation and Utilization:**
* Annexure III provides State/UT-wise details of funds released under PBPB till FY 2024-25, for the training component.
* Funds are provided to States/UTs under the "General" subhead, which includes honorarium, uniform, medicine kits, furniture, and training.
* Separate component-wise Utilization Certificates (including "Training under PBPB") are not received from States/UTs; utilization is reported comprehensively for the "General" subhead under Anganwadi Services.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State Governments/Union Territories:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing preschool programs and training AWWs. Expected to utilize funds effectively under the "General" subhead for Anganwadi Services.
* *Action Required:* Continue implementing preschool classes, ensure AWWs receive PBPB training, and utilize allocated funds for Anganwadi services while adhering to guidelines.
* **Anganwadi Workers (AWWs):**
* *Impact:* Benefit from enhanced training through the PBPB program to improve ECCE delivery.
* *Action Required:* Participate in the training programs provided by SLMTs and implement the learned techniques in their respective Anganwadi Centres.
* **Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD):**
* *Impact:* Oversees the PBPB program, ensuring its alignment with NEP 2020 and NCERT frameworks.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor and support the implementation of the PBPB program, ensuring effective training and utilization of funds.
* **Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for conducting the training programs for AWWs.
* *Action Required:* Continue to conduct training programs for AWWs under the PBPB initiative using the specified frameworks.
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: A school education program by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, aimed at improving the quality of education from preschool to senior secondary levels.
Early Childhood Care and Education ECCE: Refers to programs and initiatives focused on the development and education of young children, typically before the age of formal schooling.
Punjab: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of the implementation of preschool classes and allocation of funds.
Ministry of Women Child Development MoWCD: A ministry in the Government of India responsible for policies and programs related to women and children.
National Education Policy NEP 2020: A comprehensive framework by the Government of India to transform the education system, emphasizing holistic development and early childhood care.
Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi PBPB: A program launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) to strengthen Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) delivery through Anganwadi Centres.
NCERT: National Council of Educational Research and Training, an autonomous organization of the Government of India which provides guidance and support to the Central and State Governments on school education
Anganwadi Workers AWWs: Community health workers in India who deliver services related to maternal and child health and early childhood education at the grassroots level.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3603
ANSWERED ON-11/08/2025
Introduction of Pre-School Classes under SSA
3603. Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Government Schools in the country that have introduced pre-school classes
or co-located anganwadi centres with schools, giving effect to the provisions of Early
Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan since 2018 in
the country, State/UT-wise including Punjab;
(b) the number of Anganwadi workers who have been trained for pre-school education in line
with the NCERT framework in the country since the inception of the scheme's, State/UT-
wise; and
(c) the details of funds allocated and utilized by the States/UTs in this regard during the last
five years, State/UT-wise, with specific district-wise details of Punjab?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) The number of Government Schools, State/UT-wise including Punjab, that have
introduced pre-school classes or co-located anganwadi centres with schools, is at Annexure-I.
(b) & (c) As per the information provided by the Ministry of Women & Child Development
(MoWCD), aligned with the goals of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the MoWCD,
Government of India launched the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) programme on 10th May
2023 to strengthen Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) delivery through Anganwadi
Centres. Under PBPB, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) are being trained through the Savitribai
Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD). The training is
structured around Navchetana, National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation (0-3
years) and Aadharshila, National Curriculum for ECCE (3-6 years), both aligned with
NCERT’s National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS), and NIPUNBharat, ensuring harmonized and comprehensive training without redundancy. The training of
AWWs
follows a Two-Tier Model wherein State-Level Master Trainers (SLMTs) undergo a two-day
intensive training (Tier 1), who in turn train AWWs through a three-day, interactive, hands-on
module (Tier 2). As on 31st July 2025, a total of 5,81,326 AWWs have been trained under the
PBPB initiative since its inception. The State/UT-wise details of trained AWWs under PBPB
are at Annexure-II.
The State/UT-wise details of the funds released under PBPB are at Annexure-III.
Further, the funds are provided to States/UTs with regard to “General” sub-head that includes
honorarium, uniform, medicine kits, furniture, training etc. Hence, utilization is received from
States/UTs comprehensively for "General" sub-head under Anganwadi Services as a whole.
Separate component-wise Utilization Certificate, including that of "Training under PBPB" is
not received from States/UTs.
******ANNEXURE-I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION
NO. 3603 ANSWERED ON 11/08/2025 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SMT.
HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL REGARDING “INTRODUCTION OF PRE-SCHOOL CLASSES
UNDER SSA”
Number of Government schools having AWC or pre-primary sections, (as per UDISE+ 2023-24)
Number of schools with Class 1-Government
States/UTs Having AWC Having Pre- Having AWC in
Total in Primary the
the school Sections school campus and
campus Pre-Primary
Sections
Total 873841 289578 239632 77714
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 316 18 296 18
Andhra Pradesh 41592 8658 11003 7410
Arunachal Pradesh 2655 194 1078 107
Assam 38777 17787 28799 13108
Bihar 69141 8193 207 36
Chandigarh 117 9 112 9
Chhattisgarh 31432 10333 9670 8360
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and
Daman & Diu 306 44 278 41
Delhi 2119 42 1645 40
Goa 699 238 164 57
Gujarat 32575 5871 31849 5864
Haryana 8751 3650 8726 3650
Himachal Pradesh 10405 2389 5981 1568
Jammu & Kashmir 17746 238 17609 237
Jharkhand 34588 1892 16849 951
Karnataka 43117 11118 1761 739
Kerala 4079 418 3558 355
Ladakh 770 291 761 291
Lakshadweep 28 3 20 3
Madhya Pradesh 79259 16947 1660 650
Maharashtra 64495 39876 2731 914
Manipur 2848 89 1530 31
Meghalaya 5458 566 4826 497
Mizoram 1285 31 923 31
Nagaland 1772 71 1724 71
Odisha 45042 21124 759 602
Puducherry 323 7 300 6
Punjab 12960 8666 12920 8665
Rajasthan 69521 22746 1207 388
Sikkim 855 51 799 51
Tamil Nadu 31497 2196 2979 2177
Telangana 24210 9513 1067 421
Tripura 4185 504 187 16
Uttar Pradesh 112519 70576 1961 1376Uttarakhand 11347 6003 30 1
West Bengal 67052 19226 63663 18973
ANNEXURE-II
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3603 ANSWERED ON 11/08/2025 ASKED BY HON’BLE
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL REGARDING
“INTRODUCTION OF PRE-SCHOOL CLASSES UNDER SSA”
State/UT-wise details of AWWs trained under PBPB (upto 31st July 2025)
States/UTs AWWs Trained
Andaman and Nicobar Islands 733
Andhra Pradesh 53329
Arunachal Pradesh 1377
Assam 23523
Bihar 90262
Chandigarh 551
Chhattisgarh 11231
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 240
Delhi 10414
Goa 1148
Gujarat 4299
Haryana 8044
Himachal Pradesh 0
Jammu and Kashmir 24931
Jharkhand 11760
Karnataka 426
Kerala 15198
Ladakh 1153
Lakshadweep 0
Madhya Pradesh 91457
Maharashtra 36132
Manipur 4577
Meghalaya 2123
Mizoram 2357
Nagaland 3729
Odisha 8722
Puducherry 616
Punjab 7922
Rajasthan 57949
Sikkim 387
Tamil Nadu 1832
Telangana 0
Tripura 3192
Uttar Pradesh 46529
Uttarakhand 5178
West Bengal 50005
Total 5,81,326ANNEXURE-III
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3603 ANSWERED ON 11/08/2025 ASKED BY HON’BLE
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL REGARDING
Funds released for training component till F.Y. 2024-25 (Rs. in lakhs)
“INTRODUCTION OF PRE-SCHOOL CLASSES UNDER SSA”Name of State/UT Total fund Total Fund
released during Total fund released released till date
2023-24 during 2024-25
Andhra Pradesh 211.80 394.05 605.85
Bihar 436.20 809.19 1245.39
Chhattisgarh 0 364.08 364.08
Goa 5.40 6.66 12.06
Gujarat 203.40 188.7 392.10
Haryana 93.00 129.87 222.87
Jharkhand 146.40 203.9625 350.36
Karnataka 0.00 466.2 466.20
Kerala 0.00 179.82 179.82
Madhya Pradesh 372.00 689.31 1061.31
Maharashtra 411.00 761.46 1172.46
Odisha 284.40 395.4375 679.84
Punjab 100.20 138.195 238.40
Rajasthan 233.40 431.79 665.19
Tamil Nadu 173.40 240.5925 413.99
Telangana 132.00 183.15 315.15
Uttar Pradesh 645.00 897.435 1542.44
West Bengal 411.00 761.46 1172.46
Delhi 40.20 18.315 58.52
Puducherry 3.60 6.66 10.26
Himachal Pradesh 109.80 203.13 312.93
Jammu & Kashmir 161.10 223.53 384.63
Uttarakhand 84.60 156.51 241.11
Andaman & Nicobar 6.00 6.9375 12.94
Chandigarh 4.00 4.1625 8.16
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and
4.00
Daman & Diu 5.55 9.55
Ladakh 7.00 7.4 14.40
Lakshadweep 2.00 1.85 3.85
Arunachal Pradesh 36.90 68.27 105.17
Assam 360.90 671 1031.90
Manipur 68.40 93.66 162.06
Meghalaya 35.10 48.705 83.81
Mizoram 13.50 24.98 38.48
Nagaland 23.40 21.645 45.05
Sikkim 8.10 11.2425 19.34
Tripura 58.50 108.23 166.73
Total 4885.70 8923.14 13808.84