Bridging the gaps in cognitive achievement in India: The crucial role of the integrated child development services in early childhood.

• First national study to assess the impact of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) on children's cognitive scores. • We find that receiving ICDS intervention in early childhood benefits children's cognitive development at later ages. • ICDS is positively associated with reading and arithmetic test scores for girls. • ICDS is also positively associated with reading and arithmetic test scores of children from low-income families. • We argue that ICDS plays a critical role in bridging the gaps in cognitive achievement in India. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme aims to provide food supplementation, immunization, health check-ups, and early childhood education to children under the age of six years. There is mounting evidence that links poverty, undernutrition, and lack of stimulation at early ages with cognitive and economic disadvantages later in life. Furthermore, early childhood nutritional, educational, and health interventions are associated with human capital gains in developing countries. In this paper, we investigate the medium-term impact of ICDS services received in early childhood on subsequent reading and arithmetic achievement among children in the ages of eight to 11 in India. There are no nationwide studies that investigate the impact of ICDS on cognitive outcomes. Utilizing data from the two waves of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) and applying propensity score matching, we find that ICDS has a positive impact on cognitive achievement, primarily for girls and children in low-income families. Since the influence of ICDS intervention is observed for these groups, we believe that the ICDS plays a critical role in reducing gender and income-related gaps in cognitive achievement in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]