HYDERABAD: The introduction of pre-primary sections in government and local-body schools this academic year has severely hit enrolment and attendance at Anganwadi centres across Telangana, with some areas witnessing an 80 per cent drop in attendance.
Telangana has around 35,000 Anganwadi centres, which serve as the state’s primary platform for early childhood care, education, and nutrition. Traditionally, these centres cater to children aged 3 to 6 years, delivering early learning alongside supplementary nutrition and health monitoring.
However, the rollout of pre-primary sections in 2,769 government and local-body schools for the 2026-27 academic year has created a direct overlap. Parents are increasingly choosing school-based pre-primary sections over nearby Anganwadis.
This overlap has sparked concern within the Women and Child Welfare Department over the duplication of services and infrastructure.
“The problem is particularly visible in villages and localities where pre-primary sections have opened in government schools, including in Nalgonda, Adilabad, and Rangareddy districts,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
“Children who previously attended Anganwadi centres are being shifted to these new sections, triggering a sharp fall in attendance. The decline is not due to a lack of parental interest in early learning, but rather proximity and service duplication.”
The official added that the two systems ought to be integrated rather than operated as parallel structures. “Where both facilities cater to the same age group, Anganwadi workers and pre-primary teachers could coordinate activities to better use existing infrastructure,” he suggested.
Officials fear this trend could leave centres virtually empty despite having dedicated staff and facilities, with some locations reporting only a handful of children remaining.
Highlighting the distinct mandate of the centres, an Anganwadi worker, requesting anonymity, noted: “While pre-primary sections focus primarily on school readiness and early learning, Anganwadi centres provide a broader mandate covering early childhood care, nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education.”
