Early Childhood Care and Education refers to the comprehensive process of providing care, protection, health, nutrition, stimulation, and early learning opportunities to children from birth to eight years of age. ECCE recognizes that early childhood is a critical period of rapid physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and language development, and experiences during these formative years have a lasting impact on a child’s overall growth and future learning outcomes. It goes beyond formal education to include a holistic approach that integrates health care, nutrition, early learning, play, safety, and emotional well-being. ECCE aims to lay a strong foundation for lifelong learning, positive behavior, social competence, and inclusion, ensuring that every child gets an equitable start in life regardless of socio-economic background, gender, or ability status. In the Indian context, ECCE is seen as a vital strategy for human resource development and social equity. It emphasizes developmentally appropriate practices that respect the child’s pace of learning, cultural context, and individual differences. Play-based, activity-oriented, and experiential learning methods are central to ECCE, enabling children to explore, interact, and learn naturally. The concept also stresses the involvement of families and communities, recognizing parents and caregivers as the child’s first teachers. For children with disabilities, ECCE is especially significant as early identification, timely intervention, and inclusive early learning environments can greatly reduce developmental delays and enhance functional independence. India has developed several policies and frameworks to strengthen ECCE and ensure universal access, quality, and inclusivity. One of the earliest and most significant initiatives is the Integrated Child Development