The recent private member’s resolution introduced by Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty to make Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children aged three to six a fundamental right marks a meaningful milestone in India’s growing commitment to the early years. It reflects a widening national consensus that learning, wellbeing, and life outcomes are shaped long before formal schooling begins. As this important belief gains momentum, it also opens a timely opportunity to extend equal attention to the first three years of life and to the workforce that nurtures children during this most foundational phase.
India’s aspiration to become Viksit Bharat- a developed, equitable, and resilient nation- rests fundamentally on the strength of its human capital. The period from birth to age three, often referred to as the first 1,000 days, represents the most consequential window of human development.
Neuroscience shows early childhood is a period of extraordinary neuroplasticity when the brain’s architecture is rapidly organised. At birth, the brain is roughly 25% of its adult size, yet it contains most of the neurons it will ever have; in the first few years, most intensively in the first two to three years, more than one million new synaptic connections are formed every second, and by age five the brain reaches nearly 90% of its adult volume (Centre on the Developing Child). Through processes of synaptogenesis, myelination, and selective pruning, neural circuits governing language, cognition, learning, and problem-solving are sculpted in response to experience. Because these circuits are fundamentally experience-dependent, the quality of early caregiving and responsive relationships determines the architecture of the developing brain, shaping not only individual capability but the foundation of human capital. Hence, the quality of the workforce caring for the young infant and toddler assumes great importance for the future of any nation.
India is home to 16.1 crore children under the age of six, nearly half of whom fall in the zero to three age group. The anganwadi system under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme serves as a cornerstone of India’s early childhood architecture, reaching an estimated four to 4.5 crore infants and toddlers through nutrition support, growth monitoring, and health linkages. India has also built a robust policy framework to support child development, laying strong conceptual and institutional foundations.
As the early childhood ecosystem continues to evolve, there is significant potential to deepen the developmental focus for the zero to three age group. Currently, only about 2,448 anganwadi-cum-crèches are functional nationwide, serving approximately 52,000 children. Strengthening these services can further amplify the impact of existing programs, particularly for families who rely on public and community-based systems.
India has already demonstrated leadership in early childhood policy for three to six age group. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 positions ECCE as the foundation of the education system and introduces a five-year Foundational Stage emphasising play-based, experiential learning, foundational literacy and numeracy, inclusion, and equity. The National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (2022) further articulates this vision, promoting holistic development, responsive interactions, and developmentally appropriate practice. Recent initiatives such as Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi (2023) and Navchetna – National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation (2024) mark important progress in strengthening care and stimulation for children from birth to age three.
Building on this strong policy foundation, the next phase of progress lies in further strengthening the professional capacity of the zero to three workforce. While training and curriculum efforts have advanced significantly for preschool and early primary years, there is growing scope to expand structured preparation, recognition, and support for professionals working with infants and toddlers.
Within this architecture of ICDS, aganwadi helpers (sahayikas) could be trained and recognised as core frontline workers for the under threes. Their responsibilities are multi-faceted and extensive but their access to structured professional pathways is limited. Including them in competency frameworks, standardised training systems, and remuneration would invariably bolster workforce equity. Future research could track the career mobility and retention of sahayikas who receive this advanced training. At the same time, vernacularised AI tools tailored to ICDS contexts help even the most remote helper achieve timely professional guidance.
Investing in this workforce offers a powerful pathway to advance equity. Children from rural communities, urban informal settlements, migrant families, and those with disabilities benefit most from high-quality, responsive early care. Well-trained professionals, equipped with skills in early stimulation, safety, inclusion, and early identification of developmental needs, can help ensure that we are laying the foundations in the first 1,000 days, preparing children ready to thrive.
Strengthening professional capacity for the birth-to-three workforce can build on existing national momentum through four key actions. First, early caregiving can be further recognised as skilled professional work, supported by clear competency frameworks covering child development, responsive caregiving, health and nutrition, inclusion, family engagement, and child protection. Second, training systems can continue evolving toward structured pre-service and in-service pathways, complemented by mentoring, peer learning, and practice-based coaching. Third, sustained attention to working conditions, fair remuneration, job security, and career progression can strengthen retention, motivation, and professional pride. Finally, monitoring systems can increasingly emphasise the quality of caregiving interactions and developmental outcomes alongside access and infrastructure.
Investing in the professional capacity of those who work with children aged zero to three is not merely a social sector initiative; it is a strategic investment in India’s economic future and human capital. India’s demographic advantage can translate into a lasting development dividend when children receive strong foundations in their earliest years.
The implications of this limited early support are visible by the time children reach preschool age. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) found that only 37.4% of children below six could recognise letters and just 25.6% could perform simple addition. For children with disabilities, these gaps are even more stark. UNICEF estimates suggest that nearly three-quarters of children with disabilities in India are not enrolled in any early childhood care and education programme by the age of five.
With the joint leadership of policymakers, administrators, sector executives, civil society organisations, researchers, and development partners, India can continue to build a system that honours and strengthens those who nurture its youngest citizens.
By bolstering the anganwadi ecosystem, India can advance towards Viksit Bharat not only through policy vision, but through everyday care that shapes the nation’s consciousness from its cradle.
This article is authored by Geeta Chopra, founder, EveryChild EveryAbility & Siddhant Sachdeva, co-founder, Rocket Learning.