National Child Policy
India is a young nation; children constitute 39 per cent of the country's population (Census2011). Recognised by policy-makersas a supreme national asset, childrendeserve the best in nationalinvestment, for their survival, goodheath, development opportunity,security and dignity. What is donefor them today will determine thepace, substance and character ofnational progress, the changesachieved for the benefit of childrenand their effective environment -and the future prospects of thecountry. The status and condition ofchildren is thus the surest indicatorof rights-based development.
The Constitution of India provides that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring "thatchildren are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditionsof freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation andagainst moral and material abandonment". This directive clearly positions children asdeserving of the highest priority in national realisation of the Fundamental Rights and the specialprovisions for those most vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion. This is India's clearnational mandate for what must be done, through policy, law, planning, and practicalprogramming, with conscious provision of the required resources of knowledge and skills, timeand attention, material and financial support, and dedicated practical effort to reach all children,throughout the period of childhood. The National Policy for Children reaffirms this as a pledgeto every child.
For the welfare of Child Government has legislated various key policies at different times. Important policies among them include National Policy for Children 1974, National policy for education 1986, National Nutrition Policy 1993 etc. List of important policies and legislations and international agreements are given below:
- National Policy for Children, 1974
- Promotion and adoption of International Year ofthe Child (IYC), 1979
- National Policy for Education, 1986
- Adoption of 1990s' World Child Survival andDevelopment Goals, 1990
- Accession to UN CRC, 1992
- National Nutrition Policy 1993
- National Health Policy, 2002
- National Charter for Children, 2003
- National Plan of Action for Children, 2005
- Adoption of Guidelines for NCPCR, 2011 and2015
- National Policy for Children 2013
- National Early Childhood Care and Education(ECCE) Policy 2013
- India New Born Action Plan 2014
- National Policy for Children (NPC) in 1974