All of the following are the main beneficiaries of the ICDS programme, EXCEPT:

DSSSB 6 September 2024

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: DSSSB 6 September 2024

Explanation

Adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years are not considered the primary beneficiaries of the core Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme.
While they may receive services through the ICDS infrastructure, they are the specific target of separate government schemes.
These dedicated schemes include the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG), also known as Kishori Shakti Yojana, and the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA).
The core focus of ICDS remains on early childhood (0-6 years) and maternal health (pregnant and lactating women).

Option A: This is incorrect because infants are a crucial part of the primary beneficiary group of 'children below 6 years of age' under the ICDS scheme.
Option B: This is incorrect because pregnant and lactating mothers are one of the main target groups for ICDS, receiving vital supplementary nutrition and health services.
Option D: This is incorrect because preschool children (part of the 0-6 years age group) are the central focus of the ICDS programme, receiving a comprehensive package of services including nutrition, health, and non-formal education.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Beneficiaries of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Programme as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Community health nurses must be knowledgeable about the specific target beneficiaries for various government health programs to ensure correct service delivery, health education, and resource allocation at the grassroots level.
Accurate identification helps in mobilizing the right community members to Anganwadi centers for services like immunization, health check-ups, and supplementary nutrition.
What if? If the question had asked about the beneficiaries of the 'Kishori Shakti Yojana', then 'Adolescent girls of 11 to 18 years' would have been the correct answer, as this scheme specifically targets them.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the negative keyword 'EXCEPT' in the question stem. This indicates that three of the options are main beneficiaries of the ICDS programme, and your task is to find the one that is not.
Recall the primary target groups of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
Evaluate each option against your knowledge of ICDS beneficiaries.
Option A (Infants) and Option D (Preschool children) both fall under the main category of 'children below 6 years'.
Option B (Pregnant and lactating mothers) is another well-established primary beneficiary group.
Option C (Adolescent girls) is often covered by separate, specific schemes, even if they use the same service delivery platform. This makes it the most likely exception.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Beneficiaries of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Programme
Stem keywords: ICDS programme, main beneficiaries
Lead-in keywords: EXCEPT
Negative lead-in flag: Question is negatively framed with 'EXCEPT'

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