AADHARSHILA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 –Education)

Context: For the first time ever, the Central government has released curriculum advisable National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024 titled ‘Aadharshila,’ to be taught to children aged three to six-years-old, thus giving an impetus to pre-school learning in 14 lakh anganwadis across the country.

Aadharshila

• About: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has released the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024 titled ‘Aadharshila,’ on the lines of the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.
• Meaning of Aadharshila: As foundation stone is a detailed 48-week curriculum meant for learning in the age-group of three to six-year-olds in anganwadis.
• Role of Anganwadis: There are 14 lakh anganwadis in India which serve as nodal points in villages for health and nutrition needs of pregnant mothers and children. 

o The MWCD, along with the Ministry of Education, has envisioned that these anganwadis should double up as pre-schools which impart basic learning to children, thus strengthening their foundational literacy and numeracy concepts.

• Development Committee: Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Department of School Education and Literacy, the Ministry of Education, the National Council of Educational Research & Training, the Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University, and civil society organizations.

Features of Adharshila

• Initiation Phase: The curriculum includes a weekly-based play calendar with four weeks of initiation, integrating academic activities to help children transition from home to the anganwadi centre by engaging them in fun and free play.
• Learning Phase: The next 36 weeks are spent in exploring, free play, conversation, creation, and appreciation, involving various activities such as storytelling, singing rhymes, art and craft, etc. Storytelling themes focus on conflict resolution, taking responsibility, and working with and helping others.
• Age-Segregated Activities: These are segregated age-wise, with detailed material requirements, age-appropriate specifications, variation, notes for the teacher, targeted curricular goals, and competency that children achieve, observing children’s interest.
• Base for States: The national framework for three to six years will serve as a base for States to develop their own culturally appropriate curriculums, seen as a solution to tackle later school challenges of children.