The recently released “State of the Young Child in India” report, launched by non-governmental organisation Mobile Creches, provides a comprehensive overview of early childhood care and development services in the country. The report includes two significant indices—The Young Child Outcomes Index (YCOI) and the Young Child Environment Index (YCEI)—which measure essential child well-being and environmental factors.
The Young Child Outcomes Index (YCOI)
The YCOI focuses on assessing the health, nutrition, and cognitive growth of children aged 0-6 years. Key indicators utilised for this measurement include infant mortality rates, stunting levels, and net primary school attendance. The index was calculated for the years 2005-06 and 2015-16, providing a temporal comparison and showing state-wise differences.
The top five states for child well-being were identified as Kerala, Goa, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, and Mizoram. In contrast, Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar scored below India’s overall average of 0.585 on a scale of 0-1.
The Young Child Environment Index (YCEI)
As an analytical tool, the YCEI aims to understand the policy and environmental variables that influence child well-being positively. It considers five policy enablers: poverty alleviation, primary health care strength, education levels, safe water supply, and promotion of gender equality. However, due to data limitations, this index has only been constructed for 2015–16.
Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh secured the top five positions for this index. Interestingly, the eight states with below-average scores on the YCOI also performed poorly on the YCEI. India’s overall score for this index stood at 0.672.
Analysis of Child-Related Expenditure
In terms of financial commitment, India spent Rs. 1,723 per child in 2018–2019 towards nutrition, healthcare, education, and other essential protection services. However, this amount is inadequate and fails to cover the entire eligible population.
Even though the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Women and Child Development increases annually, the additional funds are primarily directed towards nutrition delivery under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Of an estimated 158.8 million children under six years old, the ICDS only covers about 71.9 million beneficiaries.
Disturbing figures reveal that 21% of the 159 million children under 6 years in India are undernourished, 36% are underweight, and 38% do not receive full immunisation. The report recommends an increase in public spending on children.
Way Forward for Early Childhood Care and Development
The Government of India has implemented several comprehensive measures, including flagship programmes like the ICDS and the National Nutrition Mission, to foster early childhood development. However, to fulfil its goals, effective coordination among different ministries is necessary.
Apart from these existing initiatives, recently introduced schemes, such as the National Education Policy, 2020, require proper implementation. Other programmes, such as the Mid Day Meal Scheme and the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY), aim to ensure comprehensive early childhood care and education. These need to be rolled out universally to provide access to high-quality early childhood care and education across the nation in a phased manner.
Poor early childhood development can negatively impact a country’s economy. As such, it’s crucial for policymakers to understand this aspect of national development and take effective steps to ensure all children have a healthy start to their lives.
Last Modified: February 9, 2024