What is ECCE: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2026, Colleges, Syllabus, Salary & Scope

ECCE Courses are an important intervention to make a strong foundation for the education of young children
National Policy on ECCE was released in the year 2013. Learners are prepared to give focus and special attention to young kids and take care of their health, nutrition and education.

Early Childhood Education Instruction Specialists can be a high-paying domain.This course helps in:

• Equip with different teaching methods
• Development of skills related to childhood education especially in the early ages
• Understand the mental and psychological development of children to be able to teach them in a better way.

Yes, there are few colleges which offer ECCE courses in distance mode. These courses can be pursued form the comfort of home and candidates can give term-end examinations in order to get the degree. The colleges offering ECCE in distance mode are as follows:

• IGNOU
• Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
• Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University
• Tamil Nadu Open University
• Karnataka State Open University

You can find the basic eligibility for different ECCE courses given here –

• You must complete Class 10 or 12 from a recognized board for studying diploma or certificate courses.
• You must complete Class 12 with a minimum percentage. Some colleges can ask for subjects like Biology or Psychology for UG admissions.
• Bachelors degree in Education or a related field for PG admissions.

Yes, you can pursue Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) courses after graduation. The basic eligibility criteria to take admission into ECCE Course is 10+2 level qualification. For post-graduation courses, the eligibility is 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 levels of education.

Hope it helps.

Ideally, you must have a first class and must take your IELTS or TOEFL. An overall IELTS score of 6 with no section less than 5.5 is required and if TOEFL then a score of 80 to 100 depending on the university.

You must also mention on your SOP why you want to pursue early childhood education after coming from a commerce background. Have your intentions clear and explain the same to the university.

JMI selection criteria includes shortlisting of candidates on the basis of scores obtained in JMI exam. For some courses candidates are required to also appear for Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). The cut off for each course is released after the selection procedure is over and candidates are called for counselling and document verification. Candidates should go through the selection process mentioned in the e prospectus of JMI for their respective course. 

The JMI Entrance Exam is conducted only once in a year. The Jamia Millia Islamia University conducts the Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam to shortlist candidates for admission in various Undergraduate, Postgraduate, PG Diploma Advanced Diploma, M.Phil Ph.D. and Certificate courses like -
Engineering, Architecture & Planning, Hospitality & Travel, Animation, Mass Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences, Languages, Commerce, Natural Sciences, Dentistry, Law, Fine Arts, Management Studies as well as Teaching & Education.

ECCE aims to enhance the nursery (pre-primary) level teacher workforce in India. ECCE students are trained in areas like child education, teaching methodology, nursery level subjects & communication. I recommend this teacher training course if you are interested in teaching at nurseries, Montessori and day care centers.

Whereas D.Ed has been designed to improve the elementary level teacher workforce in India. D.Ed course caters to the needs of elementary level education segment. The job opportunities you have after pursuing this course is into Government schools, Private schools, Nursery, Coaching/Private tuition classes and Daycare centres.

It's not too difficult if you're genuinely interested in working with children.

You'll need:

• Patience and observation skills
• Creative ideas (for games, rhymes, art)
• Empathy and emotional maturity
• Basic understanding of child psychology

The subjects are not too technical or math-heavy. Most ECCE students say they enjoy the course because it is interactive, activity-based and deeply rewarding.

Yes, most ECCE programs include practical training through internships or fieldwork to provide hands-on experience in real-world settings.

By the end of the ECCE Course you'll be trained in the areas mentioned in the list below -

• Handling toddlers and preschoolers
• Teaching early numeracy and literacy
• Classroom setup and environment planning
• Creative storytelling and play-based methods
• Conflict resolution among kids
• Designing curriculum for 0–6 years
• Communication with parents and guardians

Source - Multiple external/official sites, data may vary.

The following colleges offer 1 year UG Diploma in ECCE which can be pursued by candidates who have completed Class 12 from recognised board. 

• IGNOU
• Tamil Nadu Open University
• DDU Gorakhpur
• Guru Nanak Dev University
• Radha Govind University

Various certificate courses are offered in ECCE which is a 6-months course that can be pursued by candidates after completing Class 12. These are as follows:

• IGNOU
• Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
• YCMOU
• Integral University
• Guru Nanak Dev University

ECCE focuses on early childhood education from age 0 to 6 years. Primary education focuses on children from 6 to 12 years. It is more structured and academic. 
ECCE lays the foundation for lifelong learning, making it an essential stage in a child's education.

Many ECCE courses also include modules on entrepreneurship and school management to help with this. However, you may also need the mentioned prerequisites -

• Licensing & Accreditation – Registering your preschool under local education authorities
• Business Planning – Developing a curriculum, hiring teachers, and managing finances
• Infrastructure & Safety Standards – Ensuring a child-friendly and safe environment

If you're someone who loves being around kids, is naturally caring and wants to make a difference in society, ECCE is a wonderful choice. Reasons you can consider this course are mentioned below -

• A stable and flexible career
• High emotional satisfaction
• The opportunity to shape young minds
• Work-life balance — ideal for young women or moms
• Entrepreneurial freedom if you want to start your own center
• And the best part is that you don't need years of study or expensive degrees to enter this fulfilling profession.

No a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE) from IGNOU is not recognized by the NCTE as a qualification for pursuing a B.Ed. program. The NCTE requires specific teacher education programs for B.Ed. eligibility, and DECE does not fall under this category.

Though both courses prepare educators for early childhood teaching, they have some differences as ECCE is a broader field which focuses in the overall growth of the Child in their early childhood years which is till the child is 6 years old while NTT is specifically focused on nursery teaching methods.

After completing ECCE course, candidates can start working in play schools or other elementary schools across the country and start taking care of children as their own. They can also run their own private nurseries or play schools or can also look after children especially working parents. Many ECCE certificate holders are also recruited by the Aganwadi centres and other health centres that are responsible for taking care of young children. 

Of Course, ECCE is a very useful qualification if you plan to work with:

• Anganwadi centers (run by the Ministry of Women & Child Development)
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
• Balwadis under NGOs
• Foundation schools under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
• Government recruitment often looks for candidates with ECCE/child development background especially for supervisory roles.

Also, after ECCE you can appear for relevant state-level or central government teacher eligibility exams (depending on guidelines).

In many private schools and preschools, yes ECCE or a similar training (like NTT or D.El.Ed.) is preferred or mandatory. The National Education Policy 2020 is also emphasizing trained early childhood educators, especially under the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) mission.

So, doing ECCE boosts your credibility, job options, and salary as a preschool teacher.

Yes, If you are planning to move abroad or want to work internationally then ECCE opens several doors. In demand countries that provide opprtunities to ECCE Graduates are:

• UAE, Qatar, Oman (huge demand for Indian preschool teachers)
• Canada, Australia, UK (require early childhood educators with certifications)
• Singapore and Malaysia (international play schools like MindChamps, EtonHouse)

You might need additional certifications like:

1. CACHE Level 3 or 5 (UK standard)
2. ECE Diploma (Canada)
3. Montessori or TEFL/TESOL if you are also planning to teach English to young kids