The proportion of children entering Class 1 with prior pre-school experience has reached a new peak, according to the latest UDISE+ report released by the Ministry of Education. In the 2024-25 academic year, 80 per cent of students admitted to Class 1 had attended either a pre-primary school, another institution, or an anganwadi centre beforehand. This marks a steady rise compared with 73 per cent in 2023-24 and 77 per cent in 2022-23.
Out of the 1.92 crore students enrolled in Class 1 during 2024-25, approximately 1.54 crore had received pre-school exposure. The figures highlight the growing acceptance of early childhood education as a crucial foundation for future learning.
Private and Government School Trends
The data reveals slight variations between types of schools. In private institutions, 82 per cent of students had prior pre-school exposure, compared to 79 per cent in government schools. Although the difference is marginal, it underscores the wider reach of early childhood education across the school spectrum.
The Ministry has also noted that certain private pre-primary institutions are yet to be included in the UDISE+ database, and efforts are under way to bring them within the official reporting framework.
Policy Push Towards Early Childhood Education
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advocates universal access to early childhood care and education by the year 2030. As part of this vision, children below the age of five are expected to move into a preparatory class, or ‘balvatika’, guided by teachers qualified in early childhood education.
In alignment with this policy, the Ministry has urged all states and Union Territories to enforce the admission of children into Class 1 strictly at the age of six or above. Several states, including Delhi, Karnataka, and Kerala, have already indicated that they will adopt this guideline from the coming academic session.
Long-Term Shift in Early Education Trends
Historical data shows significant growth in pre-school preparedness among Class 1 entrants. Between 2018-19 and 2021-22, the percentage of students with pre-school exposure ranged from 41 to 53 per cent. By 2021-22, 1.02 crore out of 1.91 crore students had some form of early learning experience.
Since 2022-23, the UDISE+ data collection methodology has been refined, moving from aggregated reporting to student-wise records. This shift has enhanced accuracy and provided a clearer picture of the nation’s progress in early childhood education.
The consistent rise in numbers reflects both policy interventions and greater parental awareness of the value of pre-school education, indicating a positive transformation in India’s foundational learning landscape.
