Bare Act
The Himachal Pradesh Early Childhood Care and Education Centres (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2017
This legislation establishes mandatory registration and quality standards for early childhood care and education centres, such as crèches, play schools, day care centres, and kindergartens, across Himachal Pradesh. It applies to all private and non-governmental institutions operating these facilities for children below six years of age. The law requires centres to maintain proper adult-to-child ratios, safe infrastructure, child-friendly facilities, qualified teaching staff, and non-discriminatory admission policies without testing children. By mandating health, safety, and learning standards alongside official oversight and penalties for non-compliance, the Act ensures a safe, equitable, and nurturing environment for young children's early development.
- 1. Short title and commencement
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Objectives of establishment of Early Childhood Care and Education Centres
- 4. Provided that clauses (c), (d) and (e) (i), (iii) and (iv) of section 3 shall not apply in case of creches and other Centres not providing early childhood education.
- 5. Inspection Committee
- 6. Registration of existing Centres
- 7. The concerned District Programme Officer shall be responsible to ensure the compliance in a time bound manner.
- 8. Issue of Registration Certificate for existing Centres
- 9. Registration of new Centres
- 10. Grant of provisional registration
- 11. Issue of final Registration Certificate
- 12. Renewal of registration
- 13. Display of refusal of registration through public notice
- 14. Institution to regulate fee structure
- 15. Infrastructure
- 16. Basic requirements
- 17. No test, written or oral, for admission
- 18. No discrimination in admission
- 19. No written or oral examination
- 20. Parent Teacher Association
- 21. Safety and security of children
- 22. Provided that in case of any offence committed under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Director shall suspend the registration of the Centre immediately.
- 23. Review and assessment of Centres
- 24. Penalties
- 25. Provided that no order shall be passed under this section without affording the person/ Institution concerned opportunity of being heard.
- 26. Maintenance of annual accounts and audit
- 27. The annual accounts shall be audited at least once in every year by the auditors appointed by the Institution for this purpose.
- 28. Power to remove difficulties
PDF: pending for this language.