This registration will be granted only to institutions adhering to prescribed infrastructural and curriculum standards (Express File/Pavan Khengre)All pre-schools in Maharashtra including nurseries and kindergartens which are typically privately run will soon be required to obtain a registration certificate in order to operate. This registration will be granted only to institutions adhering to prescribed infrastructural and curriculum standards, as well as regulations related to fee structure, admission processes and teacher qualifications.These provisions are part of the draft Maharashtra Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Act, 2025, which aims to empower the state’s school education department to regulate the rapidly growing pre-primary education sector.According to the draft, once the Act is implemented, it will be mandatory for all existing pre-schools in Maharashtra to register with the school education department. Any new pre-school will also need to secure a registration certificate, which will only be granted if it meets all eligibility criteria. A senior official from the department noted, “The number of pre-primary schools is constantly on rise without any monitoring on their operations. Some are even operating out of residential properties. The monitoring will ensure standardisation in pre-primary education imparted in all such schools.”Pre-primary institutions, which cater to children aged 3 to 6 years, have so far remained largely unregulated. However, following the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020—which identifies this age group as the foundational stage of learning—pre-schools are now being brought under the school education department’s jurisdiction. While voluntary registration is already underway in the state, the proposed legislation has been in development for some time. The first draft was recently circulated among department officials for feedback.Beyond registration, the draft Act outlines curriculum guidelines mandating all pre-schools to follow syllabi from MSCERT, NCERT, SCERT or NIPCCD. The curriculum is expected to promote foundational literacy and numeracy, alongside play-based and experiential learning to foster holistic cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.The draft defines a pre-primary school as any institution—including Early Childhood Care and Education Centres, Play Groups, Nursery, Junior Kindergarten, or Senior Kindergarten—that offers education to children below the age of six. This definition applies irrespective of the name, medium of instruction, or whether the institution is standalone or attached to a primary school. Crèches, however, are excluded.Infrastructural standards outlined in the draft include requirements for safe buildings, gender-separated child-friendly toilets, and adequate indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Teacher qualification requirements will align with those prescribed by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Existing teachers will be given five years from the implementation of the Act to meet the required qualifications. For government-run pre-schools and anganwadis, the state will be responsible for providing necessary training.Story continues below this adAdditional provisions in the draft include the formation of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), regulated fee structures, and standardised admission processes. The government’s rules in these areas will also extend to pre-schools. The draft further proposes the creation of an independent online information system to maintain a comprehensive database of all pre-schools in the state, along with recommendations for regular assessment and accreditation.Dr Swati Popat Vats, president of the Early Childhood Association, said, “It is a good step towards ensuring quality for early years. Eagerly waiting to study it in detail and the corresponding rules to ensure that it aligns safety, health, hygiene points with academic qualifications and curriculum as all of these matter in the early years.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Maharashtra schools