Page 130 - EW December 2020

Cover Story

EDUCATIONWORLD

INDIA PRESCHOOL

RANKINGS 2020-21

Because of Covid-19 complications, this year’s survey of
the best preschools is restricted to six cities where there
is greater awareness and appreciation of high-quality
early childhood education, viz Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad

Dilip Thakore & Summiya Yasmeen

O VER A DECADE AGO IN 2010 WHEN ignored promoters, principals and teachers of top

ranked preschools across the country were awarded and
there was minimal awareness of the
celebrated.
vital importance of professionally
Please also note that since 2018 we have been rating,
administered early childhood care
and education (ECCE), your editors
ranking and celebrating the country’s best government-
conducted the first ever ratings
and ranking of pre-primaries, aka
for new-borns and lactating mothers that also provide a
preschools in the major cities of promoted anganwadis — essentially nutrition centres
modicum of early childhood education. Currently there
India. The rankings survey was are 1.6 million anganwadis operational countrywide
followed by several seminars/conferences at which ECCE which provide basic ECCE to 85 million of the country’s
experts of international and national renown called 165 million children in the 0-6 age group. Thus for over a
attention to the crucial role of scientifically designed, decade your editors have been championing the cause of
play-based interactive curriculums and global best universal professionally administered ECCE for youngest
practices, and India’s most-reputed ECCE providers children.
networked and exchanged notes. Persistent championing of universal ECCE by your
Thus far this pioneer publication has conducted editors has paid off, even if belatedly. The new National
nine national surveys ranking of the most respected Education Policy 2020 made public on July 29, ac-
and admired preschools in 16 cities and towns of India. cords heavy importance to professionally administered
Moreover we have staged an equivalent number of ECCE for infants. It proposes replacement of the current
national ECCE conferences at which hitherto totally national 10+2 primary-secondary and higher secondary

130 EDUCATIONWORLD DECEMBER 2020