– Shristi Sarawgi, Research Associate, ASER Centre

Across rural India, more children than ever are attending preschool. Between 2018 and 2024, enrolment among 3 to 5-year-olds rose from 68 percent to 77 percent, according to the latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), but step into a Class I classroom, and the progress fades. Just 13.3 percent of Class I students in government schools can read simple words. In private schools, that number is only slightly better at 23.6 percent. In basic numeracy, fewer than 1 in 5 government school students can recognise two-digit numbers. In contrast, in private schools, the proposition is at 42.3 percent. 

These numbers fall drastically short of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) benchmarks, which expect Class I students to read small sentences and do simple arithmetic problems up to 99. Concurrently, the learning gap between government and private school children has remained largely unchanged since 2014.

So, if more children are entering preschools, and they enroll earlier, why aren’t they learning better?

Private Preschool: A Growing Vote of No Confidence

In rural India, the preschool journey starts in three places — anganwadis (government-run centres offering nutrition, health, and learning services), government pre-primary schools (the focus on these is fairly recent), and private preschools, the latter often unregulated and expensive.

Anganwadis remain the mainstay, especially for 3 and 4-year-olds, but private preschools are gaining ground rapidly. Between 2022 and 2024, the proportion of rural 5-year-olds enrolled in private pre-primary institutions rose from 23.4 percent to 29.5 percent. Parents are opting for private providers, even when it means paying higher fees or arranging transport. For many, it’s not just a choice, it’s a bet on a better future.

But is this confidence misplaced?

Two Systems, One Shared Problem: Poor Quality

The India Early Childhood Education Impact (IECEI) study finds that both anganwadis and private preschools fall short of meeting national standards of instructor training and quality. The former often lack trained staff and structured routines. The latter pushes rote learning and formal academics too early at the cost of holistic development.

Neither offers the play-based, child-centred environment that early learners need.

This matters. IECEI’s longitudinal data shows that children with higher school readiness scores at age 5 perform significantly better in language and math assessments up to age 8. School readiness skills in young children go beyond the ABCs and 123s; they include motor coordination, emotional regulation, and focus. Yet, these skills are invisible in metrics like ASER, which only measure literacy and numeracy.

Policy Reforms Exist, But Not Everywhere

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 promised to fix foundational learning. In fact, this is the first time India has seen such a sizable and coordinated push at both the Central and state levels to improve early childhood education, and the scale of recent reforms deserves recognition. New efforts include integrating pre-primary classes into schools and expanding School Readiness Programmes, now present in over 75 percent of primary schools, according to ASER 2024. As of early September 2025, over 2.9 lakh anganwadi centres are already co-located within schools, a strong indication of accelerating infrastructure integration efforts. 

Yet, implementation remains patchy. Anganwadis still operate under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a scheme designed around nutrition and maternal health, not school readiness. Most Anganwadi workers lack training in early childhood education methods. On paper, the architecture is changing. On the ground, there is still a long road ahead.

Not All Learning Gaps Are About School

Beyond school infrastructure and teachers’ skills, parental education levels and home environments also play a powerful role. According to the IECEI study, when controlling for household wealth and parental education, the private-public school performance gap shrinks significantly, though it doesn’t disappear.

More educated families are more likely to invest time, as well as engage with and support their child’s learning. This explains why a child from a better-off family in a poorly run private school might still outperform a disadvantaged child in a better-run public preschool.

So, What Needs to Change?

India’s early learning crisis is not only about access but also about unequal opportunity, poor quality, and policy design that often misses the mark. To move the needle, public early childhood care and education (ECCE) must be strengthened through investment in trained educators, consistent routines, and play-based approaches that match children’s developmental needs. Equally important is broadening what we measure: while literacy and numeracy matter, motor skills, emotional development, and executive function are just as critical to long-term success. Families too must be engaged as co-educators through home learning kits, community outreach, and locally driven innovations.

With nearly 30 percent of rural children now attending private preschools, there is also an urgent need for regulation to ensure curriculum standards and qualified staff. 

The preschool years are not merely about easing children into school; they are the foundation of all future learning. If that foundation is weak, the gaps only widen as children grow. India’s youngest learners deserve more than just a classroom seat, they deserve an environment that nurtures their potential rather than failing them before they even begin.

Also read: Educator’s Role in India’s Growth Story