Mumbai: Maharashtra is set to implement a new curriculum for early childhood education titled ‘Aadharshila’ starting the upcoming academic year. Developed in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Government of Maharashtra has approved and begun the implementation of the curriculum across the state, covering more than 1.10 lakh Anganwadi centers and around 30 lakh children aged 3 to 6 years.

The Aadharshila curriculum has been developed by the Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training (MSCERT), Pune, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). It aligns with the broader vision of the NEP 2020 and the MoWCD’s early childhood education framework, also named Aadharshila.

The implementation will begin in a phased manner to ensure smooth adoption and effective monitoring. The curriculum will be delivered at three distinct levels within Anganwadi centers—Aadharshila Balvatika-1, Balvatika-2, and Balvatika-3—corresponding to the three years of pre-primary education before children enter formal schooling.

Emphasising learning through play, the curriculum aims to prepare children for school by the age of six, focusing on cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Anganwadi workers and supervisors will be trained to implement the curriculum using manuals and activity kits designed for early learners.

As part of the initiative, selected Anganwadi centers will be linked to nearby schools and equipped with additional educational resources, including activity books, learning kits, and child progress tracking tools. These materials will first be piloted in select locations for a year before being distributed more broadly across the state.

Anganwadi workers with education up to Class 12 will undergo a six-month training program, while those with lower educational qualifications will participate in a year-long training. The goal is to standardise teaching methods and enhance the overall quality of early education.

Furthermore, all Anganwadi centers will be geo-tagged by the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) to aid in planning and monitoring. Centers that lack proper infrastructure may be relocated to suitable classrooms in nearby schools. The curriculum will also integrate digital and physical learning tools such as “Jaadui Pitara” and “e-Jaadui Pitara,” developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy and MoWCD.

This initiative represents a move towards improving foundational learning outcomes and aligning Maharashtra’s early education system with national policy goals.