Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme was launched in 1975 and remains the world’s largest community-based early childhood development programme. It is administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and implemented through a network of over 1.37 million Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) staffed by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs).

ICDS delivers a package of six services: supplementary nutrition; preschool non-formal education; nutrition and health education; immunisation; health check-ups; and referral services. The target population includes all children below six years of age, all pregnant women, all lactating mothers, and adolescent girls (14–18 years) under the Kishori Shakti Yojana / Scheme for Adolescent Girls component.

In 2021, the government restructured ICDS into the ‘Saksham Anganwadi’ and Poshan 2.0 framework, merging the erstwhile Anganwadi Services, POSHAN Abhiyaan, and Scheme for Adolescent Girls into a single umbrella. This guide reflects the latest merged framework and explains your entitlements under the new structure.

Supplementary Nutrition is the most visible ICDS service. Children and mothers receive hot cooked meals or Take-Home Ration (THR) depending on local feasibility. The calorie and protein norms are prescribed centrally: 500 calories and 12–15 grams of protein for children 3–6 years; 600 calories and 18–20 grams for pregnant and lactating women. THR is distributed in the form of fortified blended food, micro-nutrient powder, or locally appropriate preparations.

Preschool Education (PSE) prepares children aged 3–6 years for primary school. The curriculum focuses on cognitive development, language, motor skills, and socialisation through play-based learning. AWWs are trained in the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCF-ECCE) and use activity kits supplied under the scheme.

Immunisation and Health Check-ups are delivered in convergence with the Health Department. AWCs serve as outreach sites for pulse polio campaigns, routine immunisation days, and Vitamin A supplementation. Health check-ups include weighing, measuring height, checking for anaemia, and screening for disabilities. Growth charts are maintained for every child and shared with the mother during monthly nutrition days (Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Days).

Enrolment at an Anganwadi centre is free and does not require a BPL card, although BPL families are prioritised in resource-constrained areas. Visit the AWC in your village or urban ward with your child’s birth certificate (or any age-proof document) and your Aadhaar. The AWW will register the child in the growth-monitoring register and issue an AWC identification card.

For supplementary nutrition, children are weighed monthly and classified as normal, moderately underweight, or severely underweight based on WHO growth standards. Severely underweight children are referred to the nearest Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) or Community Health Centre for medical management. Take-Home Ration is provided to children and mothers who cannot attend daily due to distance, illness, or seasonal migration.

Adolescent girls (14–18 years) can enrol in the Kishori Shakti / Scheme for Adolescent Girls component, which provides an additional 600 calories and 18–20 grams of protein, along with IFA (Iron-Folic Acid) supplementation and life-skills education. In some states, this component also provides a conditional cash transfer linked to school attendance.

Every village and urban ward is supposed to have at least one AWC serving a population of 400–800 in rural areas and 300–500 in tribal areas. You can locate your nearest AWC through the ICDS-CAS (Common Application Software) mobile app, the ICDS dashboard (icds-wcd.nic.in), or by asking the Gram Panchayat Secretary or Municipal Ward Councillor.

The ICDS-CAS system allows real-time tracking of AWC attendance, beneficiary registrations, THR distribution, and growth-monitoring data. If your AWC is not registering children or not distributing THR, you can escalate to the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) at the project level or the District Programme Officer (DPO) at the district level.

Under the Saksham Anganwadi restructuring, all AWCs are being graded on infrastructure, service-delivery metrics, and community feedback. High-performing AWCs receive additional funds for maintenance and play material. If your AWC is graded poorly, the community can petition the CDPO for targeted improvement funds through the Gram Sabha or Ward Sabha.

The most frequent complaint is AWC closure or non-operation. Under ICDS norms, if an AWC building is damaged or under construction, the Supervisor must arrange an alternative venue within 48 hours. If this does not happen, complain to the CDPO in writing and copy the District Collector.

Another common issue is THR of poor quality or inadequate quantity. Beneficiaries have the right to inspect THR packaging for FSSAI marks, batch numbers, and nutritional labels. If the THR is stale or underweight, photograph the packet and complain to the CDPO and the Food Safety Department.

AWWs sometimes demand unofficial fees for enrolment or ration cards. This is strictly prohibited. ICDS services are universal and free. If an AWW demands a bribe, report her to the CDPO, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), or the national POSHAN Abhiyaan grievance helpline. You can also file a complaint through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).

• 01Children below 6 years of age (all categories, no income restriction)
• 02Pregnant women and lactating mothers (all categories)
• 03Adolescent girls 14–18 years (for supplementary nutrition and IFA under the Scheme for Adolescent Girls)
• 04Residence within the catchment area of the Anganwadi centre (village or urban ward)
• 05No BPL or income certificate required for basic services; BPL families prioritised for THR in resource-short areas

• §Child’s birth certificate or any age-proof document
• §Mother’s / guardian’s Aadhaar card
• §Ration card (for tracking, not mandatory for enrolment)
• §Immunisation card (if already partially vaccinated)
• §Caste certificate (only if applying for additional SC/ST/OBC-targeted nutrition supplements in certain states)
• §School enrolment certificate (for adolescent girls component, where applicable)

• AWW refusing enrolment because the family does not have a BPL card (unlawful; services are universal)
• Denial of THR to children of migrant workers (migrant children are entitled under ICDS)
• AWC closure for extended periods without an alternative site (violates Saksham norms)
• Demanding unofficial fees for enrolment, ration distribution, or growth monitoring
• Excluding children above 3 years from preschool education (all 3–6 year olds are entitled to PSE)

• ICDS Revised Framework and Guidelines (2021), Ministry of Women and Child Developmentlink ↗
• POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0 Operational Guidelines, MWCDlink ↗
• Saksham Anganwadi Restructuring Circular, MWCDlink ↗
• National Curriculum Framework for ECCE, NCERT / MWCDlink ↗