The Diploma Programme in Early Childhood Care and Education is a unique holistic package that aims at helping the learner develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for working with young children (i.e. children up to six years of age) and equips them to organise and manage child-care centers like crèches, preschools, nursery schools, kindergartens and day-care centres. Diploma in Early Childhood Education provides knowledge, skills, and techniques required to manage young children’s education and development below the age of six. The course is specifically for teachers and individuals looking to make a career in pre-schools, pre-primary schools, nursery schools, anganwadis, or setting up or managing childhood care centers. This course helps candidates understand young children’s development, needs, and rights (birth to six years).  Throughout the course, students are also provided knowledge about common childhood illnesses, take care of sick children, and take necessary preventive measures. Candidates learn to take care of children with special needs. Diploma in Early Childhood Education also imparts knowledge and skills to candidates to provide guidance and consultation to parents of young children and assist them with issues related to child health, nutrition, and providing early stimulation and take adequate preventive actions.

Duration: 1 Year

• Candidates must have completed higher secondary (10+2) or equivalent exams from a recognized board.
• Candidates must have scored a minimum of 50% marks in the qualifying exam.

• To develop an understanding about the needs and rights of children with emphasis on the socio-cultural context of childhood;
• To understand the development of children from birth to six years of age;
• To plan play activities for fostering development;
• To appreciate the health and nutritional needs of young children and to be able to evaluate a diet as regards nutritional adequacy;
• To be able to identify common childhood illnesses, take care of the sick child and take preventive measures;
• To interact with the community and impart simple health, nutrition and preschool education and early childhood care and education massages;
• To identify children with special needs, to provide early stimulation and take preventive action;
• To gain knowledge and develop skills and attitudes required for working with young children in crèches, preschools, nursery schools, kindergartens and day care centers

As the importance of elementary education has been rising up in the education field and proportionally the number of educational centers to facilitate the same. The Experts projects that the child care and education sector is estimated to grow at a rate of 14% in the next ten years, which is excellent compared to other fields.

• Candidates who have completed a diploma in Early Childhood Education have a lot of opportunities in various government and private sector organizations working towards children’s welfare and education. They can also start their own Preschool or child care center or work as home tutors.
• Apart from a rewarding career, a diploma in early childhood education equips you to work in child care, which gives great personal satisfaction and is considered a noble profession and contributes to society’s overall growth.

Here are the most common job profiles and the average median salary per annum that a diploma holder in Early Childhood Education can expect to earn.

• Pre-primary Teacher
• Family Day Care Coordinator
• Child Home Care Provider
• Early Childhood Special Education Teacher 
• Elementary School Teacher
• Primary School Teacher
• Child Development Consultant
• Lecturer
• Kindergarten Operations Management
• Home Child Tutor 
• Educational Trainee
• Government-aided NGO
• National Council for Teachers Education
• Kinder Care Education