The IGNOU Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education and Admission is one of the most valuable programmes for anyone who wants to work with young kids or build a strong foundation in early learning. Unnati Education is a great place for learners who are interested in understanding children better, guiding them more thoughtfully or working in environments where early childhood education matters the most.
This diploma focuses primarily on children from birth to six years old, an age group known for its rapid growth, emotional development, and early education. Anyone who has ever spent time with a toddler knows how quickly their personalities change, how curious they are, and how much they respond to love and attention. Early childhood care, therefore, requires knowledge, skills, and sensitivity that go beyond instinct.
This programme is a well-designed and structured learning experience, which will teach you how to take care of young children, understand their development and create meaningful early learning environments. If you are a preschool teacher or parent, an Anganwadi worker or planning to enter the field, this diploma will give you a clear, practical path forward.
This detailed guide was created to assist learners in understanding the programme using simple language. We will also guide you from 0 - 100 in your academic journey so that nothing is confusing.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme Code | DECE |
| Programme Name | Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education |
| Type | Diploma Programme |
| Mode of Study | Open and Distance Learning (ODL) |
| School | School of Continuing Education, IGNOU |
| Duration | 1 Year — Maximum 4 Years |
| Medium of Instruction | English (Hindi, Tamil, Odia in some materials) |
| Eligibility | 10+2 or equivalent qualification |
| Award | Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education |
| Support Partner | Unnati Education: Admission, Assignments & Exam Support |
Highlights from the program: The following is a brief overview of what the IGNOU Early Childhood Care and Educational Diploma entails:
Last Date (Tentative): The session typically closes around 30 September 2025. Apply early to ensure timely enrollment and access to materials. Unnati Education manages portal login, form filling, subject selection, and confirmation tracking to keep your registration error-free.
The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education, or DECE, is an integrated programme that explains children's growth in terms of their physical, mental, and social development. Anyone who works in the field of education knows how rapidly these changes take place and how influential this period is on a child's personality.
You will learn the following:
The program is designed for children between the ages of six and twelve, including infants, toddlers and pre-primary students. To work with children of this age group, you need patience, understanding, and proper training. Children imitate, react and express themselves differently than adults. This course helps you to interpret these behaviors correctly.
The program is special because it recognises that care for young children is not just about teaching, but also about nurturing. It includes routines and conversations, play-based learning, safety for children, hygiene, nutrition, and responsive caring. This diploma will teach you the connections between all of these areas.
The curriculum is organized into four major courses (DECE-1, DECE-2, DECE-3, DECE-4), which total 32 credits. The curriculum moves from the basic principles of early child care to health and nutrition, programmes and then project work. You learn to create learning spaces, observe children and plan play activities. You also learn about healthy routines. And you apply concepts of early education in real-life settings. Each credit represents a planned number of study hours, self learning, practical tasks and project work. This allows you to slowly build your understanding, without being overwhelmed.
Your table will be below the summary.
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DECE-1 | Child Development and Early Learning | 8 |
Focuses on understanding child growth stages, cognitive and emotional development.
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DECE-2 | Early Childhood Care and Education | 8 |
Covers organizing learning spaces, planning activities, and creating stimulating environments.
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DECE-3 | Health, Nutrition and Child Development | 8 |
Explores nutrition needs, common health issues, and promoting well-being in young children.
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DECE-4 | Project Work (30 days practical) | 8 |
Mandatory project involving 30 days of hands-on experience in an early childhood setting.
This balance of theory, practice, and application enables graduates to appreciate early childhood’s heritage and use it in professional contexts.
A learner who wants to join this programme must be able to:
The programme is accessible to new school graduates, mothers, childcare workers, Anganwadi Helpers, preschool Teachers, and parents.
This program suits students passionate about early childhood and mid-career professionals alike. Unnati Education verifies eligibility and guides enrollment step-by-step—truly from 0–100.
The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education has the following objectives:
It is the intention to give students a balanced approach that includes both theory and practical application.
At the end of this programme, students will be able to:
Graduates become culturally rooted and professionally versatile contributors to India’s linguistic and creative ecosystem.
This diploma allows for multiple career opportunities in the fields of early education, child care and developmental settings. Some common directions include:
As the early childhood industry is growing, students can explore various roles within schools, daycares, NGOs, projects in communities, and training institutions.
These courses allow learners to explore their specialized roles and gain confidence.
Unnati Education meets many learners passionate about early childhood learning, but who are unsure how to get started or manage academic requirements. This is where Unnati Education comes in. Our job is to simplify the journey and make you feel confident.
We help you by:
You will never feel alone in your learning journey because we are with you every step of the way. Our learning process will never leave you feeling alone.
Here's an overview of the reasons why this diploma is important:
The IGNOU diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education is a valuable and impactful program for anyone who is interested in the early development of children. It will help you understand the way children develop, learn, and what early experiences have on future learning. The structured curriculum, the practical project work and the flexible distance-learning modes make this diploma a great foundation for both personal and professional development.
Unnati Education will be there with you from the very beginning to the very end. We'll guide and support your learning journey with patience, clarity, and understanding. This program is the perfect place to start if early childhood care or education resonates with your heart.