By Vasudha Arabandi | 1st November, 2024

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) is an essential national document that operationalizes  the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. With a focus on children from 3-8 years of age, it aims to cover the foundational stage of education. This stage is crucial for the cognitive and emotional development of children and represents the first phase of the new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure introduced by the NEP 2020. This structure aims to ensure holistic development and learning experiences, setting the foundation for future educational progress. It recognizes that 85% of brain development has already happened by age 6. 

The NCF serves as a framework designed to facilitate the creation of diverse curricula by different educational bodies across the nation. However, despite the diversity in the approaches, it also aims to provide standardization in terms of access, quality and equity of education. States and other sub-national bodies play a crucial role in shaping their own syllabus within the national framework, guided by local language, culture, and needs. The framework emphasizes the role of teachers, making them central to the curriculum transaction process. Teachers are seen not merely as facilitators of pre-defined syllabus but as active stakeholders who help in transforming the learning experiences of children.

NCF-FS seeks to positively transform education for children from 3 to 8 years old by reshaping the curricula, while also recognizing the importance of  preschools and Angwanwadi centers as vibrant centers of learning. With pedagogical principles like building a ‘positive relationship between teachers and children’ and ‘learning through play’, NCF-FS does not merely focus on changing ideas but emphasizes on transforming educational practices. It sees education as a holistic development opportunity that extends beyond classroom learning to involve factors like school environment and culture, which are instrumental in shaping a child’s learning experiences. 

Since its release in October 2022, the NCF-FS has guided the transformation of early childhood education across India  by focusing on experiential learning, linguistic diversity, and foundational skills. It also provides guidelines for children with disabilities and developmental delays ensuring that all children have access to a brighter future. NCF-FS places a special emphasis on “play-based learning” and the overall experience of the child combined with pedagogy. 

NCF-FS  aims to bring a structured yet flexible approach to early childhood care and education in India.NCF provides comprehensive guidelines and a framework, covering everything from overarching principles that should guide education to more operational, day-to-day details, such as organizing children’s daily schedules.