IGNOU DECE Admission 2025: The DECE full form is Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education which is offered by IGNOU. This course is designed to provides learners with the knowledge, skills necessary to work with young children (up to six years old) and manage the childcare centres.
The duration of IGNOU DECE course is one year. In this program, students can learn about early childhood development, care and education with a holistic approach. The course is for students who want to pursue their career in Balwadis, Anganwadis, nursery schools, pre-primary classes, preschools, and creches.
IGNOU DECE admission for the July 2025 academic session will be commence on 12th May 2025, students can complete the admission process by visiting the official portal of the university https://ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in before the tentative last date of 30 June 2025*. The complete course fee is INR 3,000 and registration fee is INR 300.
IGNOU DECE Admission Highlights Table
| Feature | Details |
| Course Name | Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE) |
| Course Level | Diploma |
| School Offering Program | School of Continuing Education (SOCE) |
| Duration | Minimum: 1 year; Maximum: 3 years |
| Eligibility | 10+2 or its equivalent from a recognized board |
| Medium of Instruction | English, Hindi, and Tamil |
| Course Fee | ₹3,000 for the full program (plus a one-time registration fee of ₹300) |
| Admission Process | Online application through IGNOU’s official admission portal |
| Program Coordinator | Prof. Rekha Sharma Sen Email: rekhasharmasen@ignou.ac.in Phone: 011-29572958 |
For more detailed information, you can refer to the IGNOU DECE Prospectus.
IGNOU DECE Course Details
DECE (Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education) is a one-year diploma course and it offered by the School of Continuing Education of IGNOU. University is offering this course in three languages (English, Hindi and Tamil). In the DECE course, students can learn about young children (from birth to 6 years of age).
This is a great short-term course to become an Anganwadi or Nursery teacher in India. Candidates who have completed their senior secondary education are eligible to apply for the DECE course. It is an ODL (open distance learning) mode course. The course coordinator is Prof. Rekha Sharma Sen.
The IGNOU DECE program has four courses. Each course is equal to 8 credits. After the IGNOU DECE course, individuals can envision themselves as Preschool Teachers, entrepreneurs, International Agency Workers, NGO Workers, Educational researchers, Child psychologists, Early Childhood Program coordinators, Parent educators and more.
IGNOU DECE Admission 2025
IGNOU admission portal will open on 12 May 2025* for the July 2025 session for Diploma in Early Childhood Care Education course. The DECE programme covers courses like Organizing Child Care Services, Child Health and Nutrition, and Services and Programs for Children.
30 June 2025* will be tentative last date for IGNOU DECE/ECCE Admission 2025 into the July academic session. Eligible candidates can apply easily on the IGNOU’s Samarth portal https://ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in/ and can register on the website.
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IGNOU DECE Eligibility
To be eligible for the IGNOU DECE program, candidates must have completed their 10+2 level or equivalent studies from a government-recognized institution. IGNOU DECE course will give you the foundational knowledge to excel in the field of early childhood care and education.
IGNOU DECE Fees
The fee structure for the DECE programme at IGNOU is quite affordable. The total cost of the course is Rs. 3,000, with an additional registration fee which is Rs. 300. The course structure and affordable fee make it unique for the students. Students can use debit/credit card, UPI, Net Banking any of payment mode to pay the fees.
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IGNOU DECE Admission Process 2025
Aspiring DECE candidates can fill out the application form at the IGNOU. First, candidates need to register on the official website https://ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in/ to submit the application form. After the registration, candidates can fill out the admission form and submit the required documents. After that, you have to pay the fee along with the registration fees. Candidates will get a confirmation email of admission.
Other IGNOU Courses:
| IGNOU BA Admission | |
| IGNOU BBA Admission | |
| IGNOU BCom Admission | |
| IGNOU BCA Admission | |
| IGNOU BSc Admission | |
IGNOU DECE Admission 2025 Steps to Apply
For the application submission of the IGNOU DECE programme, students must have a laptop or a desktop browser with a stable internet connection. Few steps are given below for the successful application process:-
- Go to the official admission website of IGNOU @ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in to start the application form fill out procedure for DECE course.
- Here, at the left side of the page, click on the “Click here for new registration” option to access the registration page.
- Set a username and provide the applicant’s name, a valid email address, and a valid mobile number. Set a password and enter a verification code, then click the “Register” option to successfully sign up for the profile.
- Next, at the right side of the page under the “Registered user login” section, enter the registered username, password, and captcha and click on “Login” to sign in.
- After this, you can fill out the application form, upload the required documents, and pay the fees using net banking, UPI, or credit and debit cards.
- Finally, apply and take a screenshot of the payment or printout of the payment for the future concerns.
- Students will get an email or message notification regarding the selection in the programme.
The documents needed for the form submission are:
- Scanned Photograph of the candidate (Below 100 KB)
- Scanned Signature of the applicant (Below 100 KB)
- Scanned copy of Educational Qualification (Below 200 KB)
- Scanned Copy of Experience Certificate (if any) (Below 200 KB)
- Scanned Copy of Category Certificate, (for reserved category) (Below 200 KB)
- Scanned Copy of BPL Certificate, (Students Below the Poverty Line) (Below 200 KB)
IGNOU DECE Project 2025
DECE course is an ODL mode programme. But in this course students will have to work on many projects, practicals, report writing and assignments. Such as organizing and setting up childcare services, spending time with toddlers, and planning activities for children. The IGNOU DECE project belongs to the fourth phase of the DECE course (DECE-4).
Students must complete a 30-day activity plan and compile a report based on their experiences. Candidates must work with students up to 6+ years of age. This project is like an internship for students where they need to be active in a physical mode for preschool children.
The project is led by a guide, the school principal or by the Women’s Education Unit of the University. The last date is 30 April 2025 for submit the IGNOU DECE project 2025 for the June 2025 Term-end examination.
IGNOU DECE Course Syllabus
| Course Code | Title of the Course | Credits |
| DECE 1 | Organizing Child Care Services | 8 |
| DECE 2 | Child Health and Nutrition | 8 |
| DECE 3 | Services and Programmes for Children | 8 |
| DECE 4 | Project Work : Working with Young Children in a Child Care Setting | 8 |
| Total Credits | 32 |
Future and Career Scope After Completing IGNOU DECE
After the NEP 2020, there is a spike in the number of pre-primary teachers in India. After this course, 12th students can start their careers as pre-primary teachers, Nursery teachers, and Anganwadi teachers in the government and private sectors. The salary of a pre-primary teacher can be INR 20,000 in a month.
After the DECE (Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education) course, students can pursue their careers in many fields. The fields in which students can work are NGO Worker, Educational Researcher, Child Psychologist, Early Childhood Program Coordinator, Early Childhood Education Consultant, Child Care Worker, and many more.
These fields contribute to the development of society as well. IGNOU offers a certificate course also in early childhood education. The course name is ECCE (Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education).
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