UGC Directs Universities to Adopt 5-6 Anganwadi Centres for NEP Support

09 Apr 2026, 08:58 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has officially told colleges and universities across India to adopt five or six Anganwadi centres each. This comes after a recommendation from the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries (NCCS) and connects directly with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The main goal is to boost Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for kids aged three to six by putting the academic resources of universities and colleges to good use.

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has set out a plan where institutions need to give ongoing mentorship to these centres. Anil Malik, the Secretary, wants universities to get students from different streams—like Social Work, Home Science, Nutrition, Psychology, and Public Health—involved through internships, fieldwork, and real dissertation projects. The idea is to bring a more professional approach to teaching and help create a better developmental environment for young children.

To make sure this program actually works, the UGC has asked colleges to focus on raising the quality of teaching methods at these centres and to keep a close watch on nutrition. By connecting universities with these grassroots centres, the government hopes university students gain valuable real-world experience, while Anganwadi workers get up-to-date academic support. Now, every college and university has to start formalizing these adoptions and keep the UGC updated on what they’re doing.