Education is the foundation of modern society; therefore, every child should be educated. A child starts learning from the womb and it continues till the tomb. But the stage to connect him/her with the formal learning system is a matter of concern. After a long deliberation about the school entry age of the child; the experts in the field of education suggest “children should not start formal school lessons until the age of six or seven” (BBC News, 2013). However, practices vary widely across the countries and locations within countries, and even among families within the small communities. In a country like India, the RTE (Right to Education) Act 2009 envisages right to free and compulsory education of every child under 6-14 year age group (Ministry of Human Resource Development, 2009). Before entering the formal school, the child needs school readiness programmes to get prepared physically, socially, mentally and emotionally to adjust in the mainstream education system. Many formal and informal agencies in our society are working with this aim. Government of India also runs a number of programmes under the umbrella of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Ministry of Women and Child Development. This ICDS scheme was started in 1975 in 33 blocks with 4891 Anganwadi Centers (AWC). It has gradually expanded across the country and st as on 31 December 2014, 7067 projects and 13,42,285 AWCs are operationalized across the country. The beneficiaries are 1,041.11 lakh under supplementary nutrition and 349.82 lakh 3-6 years old children under preschool component (Ministry of Women and Child Development, 2014). Constitutionally, the provision for preprimary education has been strengthened under the section 11 of RTE Act 2009 which says “with a view to prepare children above the age of three years for elementary education and to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years, the appropriate government may make necessary arrangements for pre-school education for such children”. After observing the educational statistics, it seems that the nation has achieved remarkable success in enrolment in the past decade but it still faces many challenges in the education system. One of the major challenges is an uncontrolled dropout rate from school. Table 1 presents the national picture about dropout trend in early grades of schooling.

Table 1. Percentage of Drop Out Trend in Early Grades of Schooling

Research studies in India identified many factors of continuous dropout rate in the school education system. Gouda and Shekher (2014) observed the low level of school education quality as a major cause for demotivation of students to carry on their studies ahead.

Preschool education is the education imparted to children in 3-6 year age group. It is the first stage of organized education. Preschool education is also known as preprimary education. They are reffered by many names in different locations of the country; such as Anganwadi, Balwadi, Nursery school, Pre-School, Pre-Primary, Preparatory school, kindergartens, Montessori schools, Play centres, Creches, Balwatikas, etc. It is located near government and private schools (National Council of Educational Research and Training, 2019).

Preschool provides a healthy and child-friendly environment to lay down a strong foundation for the child currently and later on to his all-round development. It prepares the child for primary education and ensures a smooth transition to later stages in the formal education sector. The preschool centres were kept out isolated from mainstream education and its budget, management and monitoring were also independent.

In the union budgetary session 2018-19, the vertical segmentation of educational services from pre-nursery to senior secondary level is abandoned and proposed a unified school education services integrating all from preprimary to senior secondary level. The integrated approach Samagra Shiksha adopted with the large goal of improving school effectiveness measured in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes. It has merged all three centrally sponsored schemes - Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education - under the umbrella of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and pre-primary education is also included in its orbit. The broader goal of this scheme is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education from pre-primary to senior secondary level following the sustainable development goal (SDG-4) in education (Ministry of Human Resource Development, 2018).

Levy (1971) examined the interrelationships between social, political, economic and educational variables in 42 developing countries concerning differences in dropout rate at primary school. By using statistical techniques (Regression Analysis) the study revealed that repetition increases the dropouts and automatic promotion slow down the dropout rate. The influence of urbanization and growing communication system positively affect the school continuation.

Gouda and Shekher (2014) based on data from National Family Health Survey-3 observed that; in India, about 75% children of 6-16 year age group are attending school at various levels. Rest 25% are either not attending the school or dropped out of the system. This drop out is about 11%. They identified many reasons behind their dropping out such as; less interest in studies 29.8%, high cost 18.8%, required for household work 11.9%, required for outside work for cash 6.3%, repeated failure 6% etc. Unless and until the considerable improvements in the economic condition of parent are not changed it will remain a challenge.

Shaughnessy and Kleyn (2012) observed the essence of early childhood education. He pointed out that early childhood education will be helpful in early identification, language, cognitive and social development. Therefore, he advocated a sound early childhood education system in a country like USA.

Reetu et al. (2017) made a desk review on quality concerns in early childhood care and education in India. They came out with the conclusion that governments at the centre and states are very bothered to make education reachable to every child irrespective of gender, age and difficulties. In this connection, the nation has reached very near to its universalization goal. The enrolment ratio has increased up to a remarkable stage but the delivery quality is at risk. The reasons behind such drawbacks are observed as; the basic infrastructure for ECCE is very poor. The inappropriate curriculum, partially or no involvement from parent and community make the system ineffective.

Ou and Reynolds (2004) explained that, preschool programme in the USA provides educational and social services to three & four year age group children. It is very fruitful for 'high-risk children', i.e., economically disadvantaged group's children. Studies they quoted show that preschool education enhances the cognitive and social skills of the children. It helps students in improving academic achievement at elementary grades and reduces repetition. The most important aim here is, it ensures the educational attainment.

Karoglu et al. (2017) assessed the values among preschool children. Preschool is a juncture where value formation starts in the child's life. The study included 121 children, both boys and girls who attended preschool education. The study carried out with the variables such as; age, gender, parental educational attainment and mother's working profession. The findings show that while forming the value the age of children matters. The older child is more value preserver. Similarly, the girl child has more concern towards value than boys. The educational level of parents also has a positive impact on value formation. The mothers who have worked at home, their children are more value concerned.

Irrespective of segmentation in different levels, Samagra Shiksha envisaged school education as a 'continuum' from pre-primary to senior secondary level. Under the scheme, provisions are made to extend the area of preschool education and also to strengthen the ICDS programmes run under the ministry of women and child development. Many major aspects are taken into account to strengthen the preschool education.

Integrated child development scheme (ICDS) under Early Childhood Care Education & Development (ECCED) caters preschool education in a decentralized manner at the smallest community level. Endeavours are made under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to shift the existing Preschools run under ICDS in or nearby to the primary school of the catchment area. The duration of the preschool programme is 2 years about 4-6 years of age. The timing of preschool is four hours or synchronized with the primary school timing. The Anganwadi will not only be physically co-located but both School and Anganwadi will work as part to each other. The principal of the primary school will look after and help to develop the educational components of the centre. The principal should ensure that the teachers and Anganwadi workers work collaboratively. District Education Officer (DEO) and Child Development Programme Officer (CDPO) will organize joint meetings and make strategies with principal and Anganwadi Sewika.

The campus of the preschool will be developed barrierfree and environment friendly in a similar fashion to primary/elementary school. The ground floor will be preferred for the same. Adequate infrastructure facilities such as building/room, separate toilets for boys and girls, safe drinking water, health hygiene facilities, staffs, working hands will be ensured. Safety, security, ease and comfort of the young children will also be ensured. Equity-based participation of CWSN students will be focused on. Every type of punishment and negligence is prohibited. The campus should be away from the crowded, polluted and risky area.

The curriculum will be designed based on child-centred philosophy. Play as the basis for learning and art as the basis for education would be framed. Activities related to basic literacy and numeracy, good habit formation and development of cultural values would be placed in the curriculum. Different learning corners such as literacy area, dramatic corner, science area, art area, manipulative area and music area etc. would be created so that children will get opportunities to engage freely in learning activities.

Trained and skilled teachers are required for this work. Therefore, continuous training of teachers of the preschool programme will be carried out by regular refresher courses, workshops, visit other schools, self-evaluation techniques etc., for the teachers and helpers so that they can update their knowledge and enhance their efficiency.

Every part of the country has its own local needs. The success of any plan or strategy requires local participation. The locals such as, parents, families and community would be involved in preschool activities like, in the development of teaching-learning material, in preparation of food items, in exhibitions, fairs and cultural activities and school programmes etc.

Effective implementation of preschool programmes needs coordination among different departments and sections within departments, dealing with different components of health services, care and nutrition, community awareness and early childhood education. Ministry of women and child development (MWCD) may strengthen the convergence of programmes run under ICDS with regular organization of the inter-departmental meeting, discussion on child development and health improvement matters, a collaboration of primary school teacher and Anganwadi worker.

Early childhood care and education plays a pivotal role in the later stage development - physical, social, emotional and intellectual of a child. Government of India with the partnership to states & UTs under the ministry of women and child development runs ICDS programmes to protect children's rights. Under the ICDS umbrella, Anganwadi, also called as preschool provides adequate nutrition, health care and pre-primary non-formal education. Currently, there are 13,82,285 AWCs across the country and each centre covers 400-800 population in rural/urban area and 300-800 in a tribal or remote area. About 349.82 lakh 3-6 year age group children are getting benefits from these centres. This is a fact that pre-primary education is provided either in private schools or in ICDS centres. Low middle families move towards ICDS centres due to high fees in private schools. Therefore, a mass number of rural area children in general and underprivileged in particular doesn't have proper access to preschool education. In ICDS centres, they compromise with the limited access and substandard quality of preschool education. The rich and elite families' children who attended preschool education in private schools come forward and the children from the underprivileged section who have hardly aware of preschool education keep silent or disappointed in formal school classrooms and they express very low interest in further studies. Consequently, despite much endeavors from many corners; the nation could not check the rapid dropout rate in the early grades. However, to check the rapid dropout rate and ensure a smooth transition from preschool to formal primary school, GOI proposed a holistic approach in the school education system. This holistic approach envisaged an integrated education system 'Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan' where school education is seen as a 'continuum' process from preprimary to senior secondary level. This paradigm shift in the preschool system in India opens the new avenues in search of equitable opportunities to access educational services and improvement in the quality of learning. Under this SSA scheme, preschool education is proposed to have a fresh look via restructuring or strengthening the existing Anganwadis and co-locate them in or nearby primary school of the catchment area and also newly serve the unserved areas. Anganwadi and school both will work as part to each other and the principal additionally will look after the educational components in preschool too. The teaching-learning experiences in these preschools would be undertaken through semi-structured activities and or play techniques. Training of teachers will be provided regularly either in online or offline from trained and skilled resource persons in the field from across the countries. This is the first time so far when preschool education has received this much attention of stakeholders. The better preschool education system will definitely base a strong foundation and will lead to quality improvement.

The available literature suggests that preschool education plays a pivotal role in the harmonious and overall development of a child. Public as well as private schools provide pre-primary education in the country. Access to private preschool facilities is not affordable by every child, particularly of low-income families. In pursuance to RTE Act 2009, provision regarding the government's necessary arrangements for pre-primary education, governments initiated to have a sound preschool education system in the country. About 13,42,285 AWCs are operationalized across the country and 349.82 lakh 3-6 year age group children are getting benefitted. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan - a holistic approach in the school education system, tries to have a sound preschool education system in the country. Continuum approach, co-location of AWCs in or near to primary school of the mainstream area, strengthening of campus and infrastructure, refashioning of curriculum design, professional development of teachers, community participation and effective coverage and coordination are the major steps placed in SSA for preschool education. This will lead to ensure effective preschool education and hence quality improvement.