Assessing the non-attendance of preschooling among children under ICDS scheme in India: Insights from National Family Health Survey, 2019-21

India is well known for its Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which provide comprehensive support for children's overall development. Although the level of receiving nutritional supplements from ICDS is well- researched, the utilization of preschooling services from ICDS is under-researched. Therefore, the present study aims to contextualize the level and predictors of preschooling service in India. Using the fifth round of NFHS (2019-21) and applying logistic regression, chi-square tests, the present study measured the proportion and predictors of non-attendance in preschooling among children aged 2-4 years. About 49 % of sampled children were not attending preschooling in India. However, state-level variation is noteworthy. Mother's education and household wealth quintile were found to be negatively associated with non-attendance in preschooling. Significant variations were also observed based on religion and caste. Additionally, the place of residence played a significant role. The present study concludes that the high prevalence of non-attendance in preschooling is a serious concern in India. At the same time, significant socio-demographic and residential variations in non-attendance in preschooling highlight the need to understand these drivers to revisit the existing policies and program to promote preschooling in India.