One-fourth of the world’s preschool-aged children belongs to India and India has one of the world’s largest early childhood education and care provision, named the Integrated Child Development Scheme, in operation since 1975. 

Studies on the impact of existing early childhood education and care services on children's later development are scarce in India. ECE-India is trying to fill this gap.

Based on the primary data of 1,369 children from West Bengal, India, this study investigates if attending preschool associates with greater accumulation of cognitive and social skillsat a later stage.

The study shows that children who attended preschool acquired greater social skills, but not necessarily greater cognitive skills as well. Also, the type of preschool attended was not a significant determinant of children’s skill development. It is, thus, essential to make the existing early childhood education and care provisions more effective, so that children from all tiers of society can have a wholesome rducational foundation.

• Project lead: Dr. Saikat Ghosh
• Project duration: 02/2019 – 09/2019
• Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG)
• Further information on the project and the results: LIfBi Working Paper XC from 2020
• Link to this page: www.lifbi.de/ECE-India

Ghosh, S. (2019). Does attending preschool benefit Indian children at a later stage? Blog. BLISS: ISS the Hague.