Over the last two decades, pre-schooling in India has quietly turned into a booming industry. From high-end chains in metros to tiny lane-level centres in Tier-II towns, early childhood education has become a business model with franchises, marketing playbooks and glossy brochures.
The language is strikingly similar across cities:
- “Inspired by Reggio Emilia”
- “Montessori-based learning”
- “Finnish pedagogy”
- “IB early years approach”
- “Multiple intelligences curriculum”
“Montessori-based,” “Reggio-inspired,” “Finnish pedagogy” and “IB Early Years” are no longer rare phrases — they dominate hoardings and brochures, promising parents an international advantage for their children before the age of five.
Play-based learning is replaced by worksheets, colourful walls substitute meaningful documentation, and the concept of “multiple intelligences” is reduced to periodic music or art classes.
If we strip away the logos and labels, the research on early childhood is clear and surprisingly simple. For children between 2 and 5, the most powerful learning happens through:
- Warm, responsive adult–child relationships
- Rich language and conversation
- Play—physical, social, imaginative, exploratory
- Predictable routines that build security and independence
At 2–3 years, the real goals are emotional security, attachment to at least one familiar adult, a burst in vocabulary, sensory exploration (pouring, squeezing, climbing), and parallel play slowly turning into simple cooperation. A good “playgroup” in Kolkata or Indore is less about worksheets and more about songs, stories, sand and water play, push toys, simple matching and sorting, and helping children manage separation from parents.
At 3–4 years (Nursery), children are ready for longer sentences, basic turn-taking, early problem-solving and fine motor practice. A developmentally appropriate classroom might have:
- A dramatic play corner (home, shop, doctor)
- Blocks, puzzles and loose parts to build and sort
- Daily storytelling and picture talks
- Pre-writing through big strokes on vertical surfaces, tracing in sand, not rows of letters on ruled pages
At 4–5 years (KG/LKG), the focus shifts gently to:
- Self-regulation: waiting, sharing, negotiating conflict
- Strong oral language: asking “why” and “how”, retelling events
- Foundational literacy and numeracy through games and meaningful print, not drill
- Simple inquiry projects on themes like “rain”, “vehicles”, “animals around us”
This rapid commercialisation has outpaced public understanding of what quality early childhood education really looks like. Instead of nurturing emotional security, creativity and language development, many centres sell early academic results — reading by age four, writing by three and a half — disregarding a child’s developmental readiness. In a market driven by anxiety and competition, what is most visible is often least appropriate.
It is not marked by homework, exams or rote memorisation, but by curiosity, conversation and care. As this sector expands, the question of regulation becomes unavoidable. However, India’s regulatory framework risks focusing more on paperwork than pedagogy.
At its heart, the future of early childhood education in India must answer one simple question: are we designing systems around adult ambition or around children’s needs?
a) Regulate processes, not just papers
The non-negotiables should be what children experience and what keeps them safe:
- Child–teacher ratios and group sizes
o 2–3 years: about 1 adult for 6–8 children (max group size ~15)
o 3–4 years: about 1 adult for 10–12 children (max group size ~20)
o 4–6 years: about 1 adult for 15 children (max group size ~25)
- Warm, responsive interactions; no corporal punishment or humiliation
- Daily play-based routines with outdoor time
- Inclusion and emotional safety
Instead of twenty different registers, require a short annual self-declaration plus a few pieces of evidence: a sample weekly plan, photos of learning areas, and a short anonymised video of classroom practice.
b) Simple but serious licensing
A two-stage system can balance ease of entry with accountability:
- Provisional licence (Year 0–1) once safety norms are met (basic building checks, child-safe spaces, toilets, water, child-protection policy).
- Full licence (from Year 2) renewed every 3–5 years based on ratios, staff qualifications, evidence of play-based learning and complaint history.
All of this should run through a single digital portal rather than sending small pre-school owners from door to door for different NOCs.
c) Staff norms with real training support
Regulation that simply orders “all preschool teachers must have a diploma” but provides no affordable training path will either be ignored or drive up fees. A more realistic strategy:
- Minimum qualification for lead teachers: Class 12 + 1-year ECCE certificate (transitioning to 2-year diplomas over a decade), or D.El.Ed/B.El.Ed with early childhood specialisation.
- Assistants: Class 10 + short government-provided orientation.
- Mandatory 30 hours per year of ECCE-related professional development—delivered through DIETs, NGOs, universities and good online providers.
This way, regulation raises the floor while the system simultaneously builds capacity.
d) Curriculum and assessment: some “no-go” zones
Rather than imposing a single textbook or brand, the state can draw clear lines:
- Prohibited in preschool (3–6): heavy written homework, formal exams and ranking, large amounts of rote drilling of A–Z and 1–100, cursive writing and small-line handwriting practice.
A truly progressive pre-school ecosystem will not be defined by foreign labels, elite branding or rigid control. Instead, it will be shaped by safe spaces, trained and compassionate educators, meaningful play, inclusive practices and the joy of learning. If India can shift its focus from “how early can a child read” to “how happily a child learns”, this booming industry may yet become the foundation of a more humane and equitable education system.
