Overview

• Jamia Millia Islamia assessed 45 Delhi preschools in 2023 using the Anganwadi Assessment Scale, with findings published in Discover Education in 2025.
• Combined scores placed government preschools at the top overall, private schools close behind, and Anganwadi centres largely in the average band with one rated poor.
• Infrastructure, classroom process and safety were strongest in government settings, with 13 of 15 rated good on infrastructure, all 15 good on classroom process and 14 good on safety; Anganwadis lagged on these measures.
• WASH performance was weak across providers, with no government preschool rated good and many facilities present but not reliably functional, and curriculum implementation and child-friendly environments were mostly judged average.
• The authors urge targeted upgrades for Anganwadis, regulation of private preschools and routine classroom monitoring, noting only 15.8% of Delhi’s under‑fives attend preschool and many low‑income children rely on Anganwadis.