Previous Year Question
Which among the following services is not provided under Integrated Child Development Services [ICDS] scheme?
Supplementary feeding
Immunization
Distribution of free books and school dress to the children
Health and Nutrition Education to 3-6-year-old children
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was launched on 2 October 1975. Its objective was to improve the nutrition, health and early childhood development of young children in an integrated manner.
Six major services were prescribed under ICDS—Supplementary Nutrition, Pre-school Non-formal Education, Nutrition & Health Education, Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services. Of these, Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services are provided in convergence with the health system.
Therefore, supplementary feeding and immunization are explicitly included among ICDS services. Pre-school Non-formal Education for children aged 3–6 years has also been an important component of ICDS.
In contrast, distribution of free books and school dress is not included among the prescribed six services of ICDS.
Current Status (2026): The erstwhile ICDS/Anganwadi Services have now been subsumed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0. The present framework continues the same six-service package of Supplementary Nutrition, Pre-school Non-formal Education, Nutrition & Health Education, Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services.