In a significant stride towards strengthening early childhood education, the Government of Karnataka has launched LKG and UKG classes in Anganwadi centres across the state. The initiative, unveiled in July 2025, marks the beginning of a transformative step in integrating foundational learning into the existing childcare system. The program is being launched in phases, starting with 4,000 to 5,000 Anganwadis, and will eventually cover 10,000 centres equipped with the required infrastructure.
The project is spearheaded by the Women and Child Development Minister, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, who emphasized that two functional rooms are essential to host the pre-primary classes. A total of 10,000 Anganwadis that meet this criterion have been identified statewide. The expansion to all eligible centres will take place gradually in the coming months.
To ensure structured and quality education, the government will implement the Chilipili 2.0 curriculum in the newly launched LKG and UKG classes. This curriculum focuses on experiential learning, play-based pedagogy, and cognitive development in early years. It is designed to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which stresses the importance of early childhood care and education.
A crucial preliminary meeting to discuss the rollout of this initiative was held at Vidhana Soudha. The meeting was attended by Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, along with top officials including Rashmi Mahesh (Secretary, Education), Dr. Shamla Iqbal (Secretary, WCD), and other senior department representatives.
Key topics discussed included coordination between the Women and Child Development Department and the Education Department, ensuring the smooth implementation of Chilipili 2.0, and the provision of supplementary nutrition for pre-primary children. Officials also deliberated on incorporating regular health check-ups, monitoring weight and growth, and establishing evaluation metrics for effective execution.
This move is expected to bridge the gap between Anganwadi care and formal schooling, helping children transition smoothly into primary education. It reflects Karnataka’s commitment to strengthening foundational learning and child welfare, particularly for children in rural and underserved communities. With this initiative, Karnataka becomes one of the first states to integrate structured pre-primary education within the Anganwadi framework, setting a precedent for other Indian states to follow, for more details CLICK HERE
