Latest Training Issues
Training Of ICDS Functionaries – An Analysis

The main purpose of this research article is to analyze and document various aspects of ICDS trainings conducted over the last more than three decades. The scope of this article is the history of the ICDS training, the infrastructure, curricula for various categories of the ICDS personnel and how it has evolved over the years. The article will also attempt to cover the revision of the curricula as per the need and requirements, training and kit material provided to the participants and also highlight the training institutions and various players involved in the training. A few suggestions to improve the training will also be looked into.
The approach adopted for the analysis was mainly, an in-depth study of secondary data such as curricula prepared from the inception of the programme , ICDS schemes published by Govt of India from time to time , five year plans by Govt of India , annual reports of Ministry of Women and Child Development and NIPCCD , course reports of ICDS programmes ,ICDS Manuals, Handbooks , Guidelines and Instructions on ICDS , statement of ICDS performance and various other documents and research studies conducted on ICDS programme and its functionaries .The information was also collected from Middle level and Anganwadi workers Training Centers.
The key indicators of the analysis were as follows:
- A well planned infrastructure for Training of ICDS personnel has been established since the inception of the scheme, involving various players from all over India namely established training Institutes, home science colleges , medical colleges , schools of social work , Government Departments, voluntary and international agencies .
- A variety of training programmes are organized for different categories of personnel. Courses are also planned as per the need arising from time to time.
- Trainers of ICDS Training Centers are also provided training on regular basis to orient and update their knowledge and training skills.
- Steps are taken from time to time to improve infrastructure and academic aspects of training. Some of them are organizing capacity building courses in different domains for the field level functionaries and trainers, revising and modifying training curriculum, identify/screening of subject matter experts / resource persons from the relevant field, updating and revision of training materials and aids and adopting innovative training techniques and revising training norms .
ICDS Scheme
The Integrated Child Development Services Scheme launched in 1975 is globally recognized as a community based programme, which addresses the basic interrelated needs of young children, adolescent girls and expectant and nursing mothers – across the life cycle in an holistic manner .It is a powerful instrument for ensuring equality of opportunity to present and future generations of the underprivileged by breaking an intergenerational cycle of multiple deprivations : under nutrition, illiteracy ,gender and other forms of discrimination and poverty.
Objectives
The main objectives of the ICDS Scheme are:
- To improve nutritional and health status of children below the age of six years and of pregnant and lactating mothers.
- To lay the foundation for the proper psychological, physical and social development of the child.
- To reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, and mal-nutrition and school dropouts.
- To achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to promote child development.
- To enhance capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of child through proper health and nutrition education.
ICDS serves the target beneficiaries group through a network of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) which are mainly courtyard and/or play centre which is the focal point for delivery of services at the community level. There is a team of project level functionaries who is delivering, monitoring and coordinating the activities of AWC.
The team comprises of the following members:
Child Development Project Officer (CDPO)
Key functionary and Overall Incharge of the scheme.Woman from the local community. Runs the Anganwadi Centre.
AW Helper Assists the AWW in service deliverY
Roles of the ICDS Functionaries
As shown above, the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) is a key functionary of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme. She/he is responsible for administration and implementation of the scheme of one project at the field level. In some projects Assistant Child Development Project Officers(ACDPOs) are also appointed depending upon the nature and size of the project . The Supervisor (Mukhyasevika) is the middle level functionary and is expected to look after the work of about 17, 20,or 25 AWWs in tribal, rural and urban projects respectively (their number may also vary according to the size and nature of the project). An AWW is helped by another local women called AW Helper. Supervisors are expected to train and educate AWWs in their tasks and provide guidance, ensure physical facilities like equipments and materials for smooth running of AWC as well as emotional support to them . The ICDS team functions in coordination with other functionaries from various departments like health, education and rural etc .
Services
ICDS provides a package of following services to the target children and mothers:- Supplementary nutrition
- Immunization
- Health check-up
- Referral services
- Pre-school non-formal education (Early childhood Care and Education)and;
- Nutrition & Health Education
(In selected AWCs some other services are also provided to different categories of functionaries for example adolescent girls are provided nutrition and health related services along with social and life skills. )
Training Infrastructure- A Historical Perspective
The importance of training and continuous capacity building of the field functionaries for effective delivery of package of services in ICDS was well recognized since the inception of the scheme. Accordingly, the Government of India formulated a comprehensive training strategy for ICDS personnel .In the absence of any Training Institute on child development, the Ministry of Social Welfare decided to reorganize the erstwhile Central Institute of Research and Training in Public Cooperation located in Delhi into National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) by adding a division of Child Development (Year 1975). In order to cater to the regional requirements related to women and children and with the expansion of the ICDS programme, various regional Centers of NIPCCD were opened in a phased manner at Guwahati(1978), Lucknow (1982), Bangalore(1980) and Indore(2001).
Initially the responsibility of training of CDPOs and Supervisors was entrusted to Family and Child Welfare Training Centers (FCWTCs), and those of Anganwadi Workers to the Indian Council for Child Welfare(ICCW) and a few other agencies. From 1979 onwards NIPCCD was selected as a nodal agency for training of CDPOs. Consequent upon the rapid expansion of the ICDS programme during the sixth five year plan, NIPCCD was called upon to assume several additional ICDS training related responsibilities and recognized as an apex body for ICDS training.
About 200 Anganwadi workers Training Centers (AWTCs) spread all over the country were selected initially which increased to 262 in August 1983 of which about 80% were functioning under Voluntary Sectors (source:Handbook for MLTCS, 1983 NIPCCD). Abou19 MLTCSs were also selected during this period to train supervisors and to undertake other tasks . Keeping in view the special inputs required for Institutional training for ICDS functionaries from newly sanctioned ICDS projects, the Ministry of Social Welfare made certain provisions in the year 1981-82 .These were:
- Sanctioning additional funds (both recurring and non recurring).
- Providing necessary funds for recruitment of Instructors/ Trainers at training centers.
- Provision to invite more external experts in various components by providing funds.
- Taking assistance of international agencies in the form of training media package and other training aids and equipments, improving training facilities of certain institutions in such a way so that they can undertake training for more than one category of functionary .
Besides organizing training programmes for CDPOs/ACDPOs and Supervisors, NIPPCD was assigned the following additional roles in the same year (1983):
- Review of training curricula for all ICDS functionaries.
- Organizing State and Regional level workshops of CDPOs/BDOs/ Medical Officers and other functionaries;
- Selection, supervision, guidance and up gradation of other institutions selected for the training of Supervisors and Instructors.
- Organizing annual and regional workshops, orientation courses for all categories of functionaries and trainers.
- Maintaining liaison with the State government and UT administration for ICDS training programmes
- Providing quarterly feed back on the progress of training programmes to the Ministry of Women and Child development and other central and State government departments.
The Central Technical Committee of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) was also involved in the tasks of the training, orientation and conducting seminars and workshops of District level health official at the state levels.
Over the years, the roles of NIPCCD has appreciated to that of an apex body for training of ICDS functionaries. The scope of its roles has extended to the following:
- Conducting courses and other programmes for ICDS functionaries , officials and Trainers of Training Institutions.
- Providing technical support to training institutions.
- Preparing, revising, standardizing and disseminating training curriculum and training materials.
- Preparing and procuring training materials.
- Conducing research studies related to ICDS.
- Setting up state Resource Centers.
- Establishing network with technical and academic institutions.
- Providing feed back to Ministry of Women and Child Development, State Govts/ UTs and Training Institutions.
Role of (Middle Level Training Centers) MLTCs
- Training of Supervisions.
- Orientation of Instructors of AWTCs .
- Organizing Refresher courses for Supervisors.
- Organization of State level Workshops for CDPOs / BDOs, MOs and other project level ICDS functionaries.
- Guidance and Supervision of AWTCs .
- Translation of handbooks, guide books, manuals and other material in regional languages.
In the late nineties, erstwhile Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resources Development reviewed the entire training component of ICDS. It was felt that there was a need to mould the functionaries as agents of social and behavioral change. With this came into being the World Bank assisted ICDS training project which was christened as ‘Project Udisha’. For this, following 3 types of training programmes being organized for the AWWs, Supervisors and CDPOs / ACDPOs were further strengthened.
- Induction training (on initial appointment )
- Job Training ( once during service period)
- Refresher Training (in-service, once in every two years)
Programmes for ICDS personnel
Officials /functionaries |
Type of programmes /courses |
Senior officials like Dy director |
(duration 1to five days ) |
Program me officers /Distt Program me officers /Nodal officers of the parent department dealing with ICDS |
(duration 4-5 days ) |
Child Development Project Officers/Assistant Child development project Officers |
|
Supervisors /Mukhyasevikas (Middle level supervisory functionary ) |
Courses (as per the need ) |
AWWs( front line field level worker) |
|
Helper(front line field worker) |
|
Apart from the above listed programmes, specific need based training courses are also organized by States/UTs under the ‘Other Training’ Component, whereby the States/UTs are given flexibility to identify state specific problems, that need more focused or innovative training. Instructors of MLTCs, STIs and AWTCs are trained from time to time to orient them about latest developments in ICDS, and developing their training skills. Details are discussed in subsequent sections of this article.
Training Innovations
A number of training innovations have been initiated by various training institutions and Centre and State departments to improve quality of training and to meet training targets. Mobile Training of AWWs, Tele Conference, Gyan Darshan and Gyan Yani are some of the examples. The State of Karnataka with the support of UNICEF provided Refresher Training to AWWs in their own districts by Mobile Teams to clear backlog by district level core training team comprised of mainly one each CDPO, Instructor and a Supervisor. The main features of the programme were that it was a condensed course, trainers were from field and focus was on the field problems. Joint training strategy was adopted and local training material was developed. A similar type of training of AWWs and Helpers organized by the Mobile Training Teams in the State of Uttar Pradesh by Nehru Yuva Kendra and Academy Management. Each mobile training team comprised of a team of trainers from social work / sociology / psychology / education/ child development/ nutrition / or public health background. Prior to training, the team was provided 10 days orientation training at NIPCCD Regional Centre at Lucknow. The state of Rajasthan is also following mobile training in some areas . The distance education mode of tele conference has been used as a continuing education initiative for AWWs and Supervisors to enhance their knowledge andawareness in the domain of Nutrition and Health and Early Childhood Care and Development and Women’s issues. To operationalize the newly sanctioned Anganwadi Centers and also to clear backlog of training of newly recruited Anganwadi Workers, short duration induction training was introduced during 2005-06 in some of the States. Starting from 2006-07, Induction training has been standardized with duration of 6 working days and a batch-size of 20.
Curriculum, Coverage and Reference Materials
To keep abreast with the changing responsibilities of ICDS functionaries and latest developments in the field, the curriculum for training of varied level of functionaries is updated from time to time by the nodal agency in consultation with various concerned departments and experts. These include officials from Ministry of Women and Child Development ,Government of India, State Government officials and functionaries from the nodal department dealing with ICDS, personnel from other concerned departments like health, education, rural development, and urban development . Trainers from ICDS Training Institutions all over India like State Training Institutes, MLTCs, AWTCs, subject matter experts and experienced project and field level personnel are also consulted to provide their expertise. The comprehensive training curriculum for training for various level of functionaries details out various aspects of training viz objectives of the course, contents to be covered and time/ duration of each session, suggested training techniques, reference material to be provided to the trainees and kit materials to be prepared, training material to be used by the trainers and guidelines for taking feed back after each course and each session. During last three and a half decades, training syllabi for various ICDS functionaries has been revised several times. (Details are given in subsequent paragraphs)ICDS Training Curriculum(Revision undertaken in Chronological Order)
Type of Programme |
Duration of the programme |
Orientation Training for Helpers |
Yr. 1986 (6 days),Yr. 1991 (6 days), |
Job training of AWW s |
Yr. 1975 (4 months)Yr. 1978 (4 months) Yr. 1982 (4 months)Yr. 1983 (3 months) these syllabi included fieldwork of 6days)Yr. 1988 {(3 months) -14 days fieldwork} .Yr. 1992 World Bank assisted training (Popularly known as Sandwich) |
Job training of supervisors |
Yr. 1975 (2 month ) ,Yr. 1978 (3 months) Yr. 1982 (3 months) Yr. 1984 (3 months) Yr. 1985 (3 months) Field placement In above progrmmes was app one monthYR 1986-87 (2and half months app64 working days ,yr 1992app2and half months( field placement 14 days )yr 2003(2 months )supervised field work of about 5working days ,yr 2004 (1month) field work5working days ) |
Job Training of CDPOs/ACDPOs |
Yr 1975 (2months)yr 1978(2months )Yr 1982 (2 months) ,field placement In above3 programmes was of 6 days duration .1984 (2 months) Yr 1985 (2 months) Yr. 1986 (2 months) Yr. 1991 (2 months app) Yr. 1999 (2 months app) field placement in above Courses was of 14 days duration, yr2003 (2 month app),yr 2005 (1month app)supervised field work in above course was of 4 days duration ) |
Job training of semiliterate illiterate AWWs. |
Yr. 1982-83 (4 months), Yr. 1983-84 (3 months) |
Orientation Training of Trainers of MLTCS |
Yr 1983,yr Mid 80s |
Orientation training of Insructors of AWTCs |
Yr 1975(1 month),yr 1978(two weeks )yr 1982 two weeks )yr 1982(2 weeks),yr 1985 (18 working days ),1986 (18 working days ),yr 2003(12 working days ). |
Note: State/ UTs are allowed to make necessary modifications up to 25% in the training syllabi as per their requirements. The above table shows only major years. Induction courses are not included.
Training Techniques
As the main purpose of organizing courses is to enhance knowledge and develop capabilities of the functionaries to deliver services effectively ,efforts are made to use Participatory techniques viz group discussions, practicals, classroom practice work, mock sessions, role plays, individual and group assignments, library assignments.Observational visits to various places like ICDS projects , state health departments, hospitals, NGOs, Publishing houses followed by discussions and group reporting and presentations are also organized. Participants are also given opportunity to work in field under guidance (supervised field work) as per the nature of courses (particularly in job training courses).Training Aids
Training aids such as charts, posters, flash cards, flip books, flannel graphs, flaxy flans, maxi flans, puppets, models, demonstration boards, chalk boards, are commonly used. These are more practical and useful in areas where there is shortage and interrupted supply of electricity . Projected aids, audio visual aids, slides/ transparency, films, film strips, audio tape, video cassette, laptop CD/DVD etc as per the requirement of the session and training techniques are also used /adopted by the speakers. Radio and Television programmes are also used wherever these are specifically aired /broadcast.Resource faculty
Besides regular Trainers of the Training Centers, outside experts like , Medical and paramedical staff, State Government officials, CDPOs, ACDPOs, Supervisors, Professors/ lecturers from universities and colleges, experienced AWWs, Voluntary workers are also invited as resource Persons .The selection of Resource Persons depends upon the objectives and contents of the course, budget category of the participants etc.Feed back
Feed back on quality of the course, resource persons, board and lodging arrangements is taken both in written and verbal form in each course. To assess improvement in knowledge and skills of trainees, feedback is also taken in skill programmes . The participants of job training courses are also assessed for their performance. Efforts are made that feasible suggestions ,/recommendations offered by the participants are implemented.Reference material/kit material
As each type of course has a specific objective , Reference Material is provided to the participants as per the category of the trainees, their profile, and course objectives. Efforts are made to provide materials in regional languages ,wherever possible. Since 1982 NIPCCD has played a pivotal role in strengthening academic aspects of training by providing a variety of materials with main purpose to provide reading and reference materials both for the Trainers and Trainees. These materials besides updating knowledge also act as a sample, prototype for the kits to be prepared during training, particularly in the courses for Trainers. It also helps to have a some what uniform pattern (to some extent) of training throughout the country though state / region wise variations are there .Strengthening Academic Aspect of Training
(list of materials used as a reference /kit material in each component)Component/Domain |
Type of Training Materials (both printed and A.V material) |
Integrated Child Development services scheme |
ICDS Scheme, ICDS manual, guidebooks for Supervisors ,Scheme circulars and guidelines / video films ,film strips and slides on ICDS, National plan of action. Job Responsibilities of ICDS functionaries, ICDS code sheet, Data sheet ,National Policy for children, convention on rights of the children. |
Nutrition and Health |
Module, manual and booklet on growth monitoring, Growth charts, and growth registers, flannel Growth charts, Recipe books, guide book for nutrition trainers of ICDS Programme, Combating Nutrition Deficiency Diseases, (kuposhan ka samna ),Nutrition and health Books, film strips, slides, nutrition games, Dietary Requirements cards, charts and posters on nutrition & health Related messages, Health & nutrition Education kit for Pre- |
Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) |
Play materials like dominos, stuffed and other toys, dolls, masks, puppets training materials like video films, Film strips and slides, on various play methods ,Story, rhymes, and puzzles books, flip book on milestones and booklets on organizing activities, pre school activity Cards and time table, video cassettes on rhymes & stories. Some examples of books are Aao nachen (H), Aao Sune geet,Mitron ki Khoj, Kerala experience, fun with puppets, Music Can be fun, Cutting and pasting, learning through environment, Olla Mola. |
Community Participation & Communication and Education |
Booklets on case studies on community participation , slides, film strips and films on participatory methods. |
Organization and management |
ICDS Inspection Report, work book on family survey, guidebooks for AWWs and Supervisors, Training update(Quarterly News Letter) ,guidelines for field placement ,booklet on preparing kit materials during Training ,Monitoring Performa of the training institutions, ICDS Inspection Report Performa. Curriculum for Training Of ICDS functionaries and their trainers, Model set of Questions to evaluate training, WILL Scheme (Women’s Integrated Learning For Life) , adolescent girls Scheme, Mahila Samridhi Yojana, |
Note: Materials to participants were provided as per availability at that particular time of course, type of course and the languages in which material was available etc.
Sources of Materials
Documents and Aids etc were prepared /procured as per the requirements from the agencies like Central Social Welfare board (CSWB), Children’s Book Trust (CBT), Central Technical Committee (CTC), CHETNA, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Cooperative American Relief Every where (CARE,) Creative Educational Aids,Frank Brothers, ,National Book Trust(NBT), National Children’s Education Research and Training (NCERT) ,Ratana Sagar, Participatory Research in India (PRIA),World food programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF ,Mobile Crèches ,Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Ministry of Social Welfare and , Women and Child Development, Family and Welfare Ministry , Food and Nutrition Board of Ministry of Women and Child development), State governments like Kerala and NIPCCD (the list is not exhaustive name of the agencies at the regional level are not included )Monitoring & Evaluation of ICDS Training Programme :
For effective and smooth training, all the States /UTs are required to submit State Training Plans for ICDS functionaries which are taken up during each forthcoming year. Proposals are planned according to the training backlog , number of new sanctioned projects, vacancies created due to retirements ,promotion ,transfer ,deputation and resignation etc .These plans are discussed in review meets organized by the ministry , nodal training agency and state departments .A separate ICDS Training Unit within the Ministry of Women and Child Development is responsible for overall monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the training programme.
Following Measures are undertaken for monitoring and supervision:
- Physical and financial progress are captured through Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) in a standardized format, that are submitted by the States/UTs to GoI at the end of every quarter;
- A detailed analysis of the QPRs is carried out by the ICDS Training Unit and based on the same, quarterly review meetings are organized with the States at the central level;
- Necessary feedback and guidelines are issued to the States after each of the review meetings;
- Periodic field visits to States and Training Centers by officials from the Ministry of WCD and NIPCCD.
Monitoring and supervision of training programmes at the State level is taken up through the following measures;
- Monthly/quarterly review meeting with the Training Centers .
- Field visits to AWTCs/MLTCs by Nodal Officer or the District Programme Officers (DPOs)/CDPOs; and
- Annual meeting of State Training Task Force (STTF) for the approval of State trainig plans and review of past performance and chalking out future actions.
- Ensuring timely release of grants to the training centers;
- Close monitoring of training programmes through regular visits by the concerned officials from the State HQs/District Offices;
- Ensuring timely deputation and participation of the functionaries to the training programmes; and
- Ensuring timely submission of quarterly progress reports (QPRs) to GoI.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development undertakes periodic evaluation of the ICDS training programmes through external research agencies to assess the outcomes and other aspects of the training. Nodal agency for training in collaboration with other agencies has been taking steps to improve training infrastructure and academic aspects of ICDS training .Similar steps are been taken by respective state governments . A number of research studies have been conducted to rationalize AWTCs and MLTCs. (As on April, 2010 there were 543 AWTCs and 32 MLTCs functional) .The academic and administrative aspects of training are monitored by the main bodies constituted at the national and state levels viz National Level Training Task Force and State level Training Task Force.
The State Training Institutions (STIs) who are also engaged in the training of CDPOs/ACDPOs are selected by the respective State Governments in consultation with nodal agency in some states for training as per the need. STIs are run by various departments and agencies like State Women’s Institutes, Administrative Institutes, Home science and Social Work Colleges, State Institute of Health and Family Welfare, State Departments, and Academy of Agricultural Universities or other similar Institutions. The Institutes also train Trainers of ICDS functionaries of their respective states /UTs and undertake other ICDS related tasks assigned to them .
Constraints
1. Sometimes Anganwadi Workers and Helpers from of the tribal and rural areas do not understand medium of instructions used during training as Trainers/Instructors are not well versed with the local dialect which in many rural and tribal areas differ from one village to another.
2 Another problem faced by the Trainers/Instructors is handling heterogeneous groups of the trainees in terms of age, qualifications, experiences and exposure, skills, and knowledge level.
3. Few Trainers are not using proper training technology (methods and aids) as per the requirements of the trainee group, components or sessions. It may be due to lack of orientation or lethargy, lack of motivation, or due to lack of equipments and facilities.
4. In components like Community Participation and Awareness, there is dearth of training materials. Lack of updated information and the understandable language of printed matter provided to participants as kit materials are other lacunae in some AWTCs.
3. Sometimes delay and irregular flow of funds to the Training Centers affects smooth running of the training courses. A number of surveys conducted to assess infrastructure of the Training Institutes shows that some of them run in small, poorly maintained and inadequately furnished buildings.
4. In some districts lack of planning, coordination and monitoring due to non availability of updated data-base regarding untrained ICDS personnel results in poor planning for training . Some times participants are not provided sufficient preparatory time and adequate information regarding purpose and duration of the course to prepare trainees mentally which leads to anxiety.
Conclusions and Suggestions
As ICDS plays an important role in achieving national nutritional, health and social goals, the training of ICDS functionaries’ needs to be further strengthened .State ICDS cells, Training institutions, and ICDS personnel can play a crucial role in achieving goals of five year plans for which following suggestions are offered.1. States / UTs may re-identify districts/ pockets with poor health and nutritional indicators viz. high IMR, and high Child Mortality Rate and Malnutrition, Nutritional Deficiency Diseases, increase in the cases of diseases like AIDS /HIV, diarrhea, ARI, jaundice, hepatitis, malaria, leprosy, filaria, ringworm infestation, diphtheria, pertusis, tetanus, measles and some emerging and endemic diseases .Similarly to improve enrolment, identification of pockets of low literacy and school dropouts may be given more emphasis and planning of need based courses should be done accordingly.
2. Alternative and innovative training techniques like teleconference, Gyan vani / Gyan Darshan, joint training programmes for personnel from the concerned departments, block level training should be a regular feature of the state training plans. To improve convergence and coordination of services with other departments for effective delivery of services, it is also suggested that more short term joint courses for the project functionaries who have a long field experience should be specifically designed.
3 To improve training skills and update knowledge, continuous training of the Trainers of ICDS training Institutions at all the levels may be given move emphasis. To broaden vision and enhance their educational level Trainers of AWTCs and MLTCs may also be encouraged to join higher education through distance education (in some states initiative has been taken). They may also be sent for exposure visits to other Institutions to help them understand training imparted by other Institutions as also to understand field situations, problems and ways of handling them.
4 Monitoring of the academic aspects as well as training facilities also needs to be strengthened.
5. A large number of ICDS Trainers have a very long experience of training (many of them have been working for as long as 25-30 years), their expertise and field experiences in may be utilized for training of other child welfare functionaries. Universities, Colleges, Government Institutions, and other academic Institutions may also involve them in research projects and surveys and field related training in different domains.
6. Efforts should be made to ensure that infrastructural facilities are provided for conducive training viz spacious and well ventilated classrooms, proper seating arrangements, proper facilities for board and lodging and supply of adequate training materials.
8. More of participatory training techniques viz practicals, individual and group assignments, mock sessions and role plays, demonstrations ,observational visits, field work, supervised field work, project work along with use of relevant and appropriate A.V. Aids may be adopted.Team approach of training (2-3 trainers from same or different field) should be given more emphases particularly during group work and presentations, practicals, and supervised field work.
9 As one of Lacunae of the training in ICDS is lack of documented field experiences and case studies particularly in the area of community participation/ mobilization advocacy and awareness, Trainers should share and document interesting and enriching experiences of training with the fellow trainers and trainee course participants .
10 The faculty of the Ho me Science, / Social Work colleges and medical colleges may also develop strong linkages with the ICDS Training Institutions.
11. To make training more field oriented and need based, Trainers should gather information about the participant’s profile viz age, nature and years of experiences, educational background, strengths, weaknesses, expectations fromtime to time so as to modify contents of the course to suit the training. This can be done at the state and district levels in the beginning of the financial year while planning for the annual programmes .
12. Evaluation of the courses, in terms of the contents, duration, training techniques and speakers needs to be further strengthened at all the levels of training. Feedback of the sessions on the external resource persons may be provided to them from to time on regular basis. Occasionally Trainers may remain in touch with their trainees to see impact of training on the performance and provide feed back. Providing relevant feedback to the concerned State Governments, Training Institutions and Central government and Departments for information and necessary action helps strengthen both service delivering at the field level and quality of training. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author :Nirmal Tikku ,Ex Deputy Director ,NIPCCD, New Delhi ,India . July 28th 2011.