The Government has taken several steps to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by enhancing convergence between Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL). A Joint Advisory was issued by both Ministries on 2nd April 2025 focused on effective convergence between both Ministries including co-location of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) with Government Primary Schools.

Further detailed Guidelines for Co-locating AWCs with Government Primary Schools were issued by both Ministries on 3rd September, 2025. 

The guidelines inter alia include:

• Mapping of AWCs with the nearest school to support school readiness and early learning continuity;

• Encouraging co-location of new AWCs within school campuses, subject to requisite infrastructure availability, and

• In places where physical co-location is not feasible, AWCs to be mapped with the nearest primary school.

These guidelines aim to strengthen foundational learning, and ensure improved access and seamless transition from pre-school to primary school for young children across India.

As per Unified District Information System for Education plus (UDISE+) portal, 2,99,546 AWCs have been co-located with Government schools across the country.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question on Friday.