New Delhi: The Central government today, February 22, directed state governments and union territories to align admission ages for grade 1 to 6-plus years. The Centre also advised them to initiate the process of designing and implementing a 2-year diploma course in pre-school education (DPSE).

Under the direction and control of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), it  is expected to develop the course, while District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) are expected to administer it.

The country should prioritise improving children's learning in the "foundational stage," as per the National Education Policy 2020. The foundational stage consists of five years of learning opportunities for all children between the ages of three and eight, which includes two years of early primary school in Grades I and II and three years of pre-school instruction, according to a statement from the Ministry of Education.

According to the ministry statement, the policy supports children's seamless learning and growth from preschool through Grade II. As per a statement made by the ministry, this can only be accomplished by guaranteeing that all children enrolled in anganwadis or government-run, government-aided, commercial, or NGO-run-preschool facilities have access to three years of high-quality preschool education.

The availability of qualified teachers who have received specialised-training in-age and developmentally appropriate curricula and pedagogy is the most crucial aspect at the foundational stage.

In October 2022, the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) was introduced.

In addition, the most important factor at the foundational stage is the availability of qualified teachers who are specially trained in the age and developmentally-appropriate curriculum and pedagogy. The National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage(NCF-FS) was launched last year in 2022.

CBSE issues new guidelines for Class X, Class XII board exams

GATE 2023: IIT-Kanpur to release Answer Key today

New Education System, trends and modern pedagogy