The foundational push for the NIPUN Bharat Mission was set in motion by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which, through a dedicated chapter on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), underscored early learning as the cornerstone for all future educational outcomes. This policy direction served as a green signal for states to prioritise FLN, enabling the formal launch of NIPUN Bharat and positioning early learning as a national imperative. A key governance milestone was the integration of FLN into states’ annual work plans and budgets (AWPBs), fostering intentional planning, resource allocation and heightened accountability at both state and district levels.