Introduction

• The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, released by the Pratham Foundation, offers a comprehensive look at the state of education in rural India. 
• This biennial survey, conducted in over 17,000 villages across India, highlights important trends in enrollment, foundational learning, digital literacy, and the impact of government initiatives like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and NIPUN Bharat. 

What is the ASER Report?

• Since its inception in 2005, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), facilitated by Pratham Education Foundation, has been an essential tool for tracking educational trends and learning outcomes, especially in rural areas.
•  The report examines schooling and foundational learning across Indian districts, helping policymakers address issues in education. 
• Although ASER was initially published annually, it has become a biennial report since 2016. Its findings are influential in shaping educational policies and reforms at the national and state levels.

Methodology of ASER 2024

• For ASER 2024, the survey reached a massive number of children—649,491 children aged 3 to 16 years—across 17,997 villages in 605 rural districts. This survey assessed the reading and arithmetic skills of over 500,000 children aged 5-16. The methodology of the ASER 2024 survey included:
  • Monitoring Enrollment: Tracking school and preschool enrollment patterns across various states and age groups.
  • Assessing Learning Outcomes: Evaluating foundational reading and arithmetic abilities, to understand the academic progress of children.
  • Digital Literacy Assessment: Assessing smartphone proficiency among adolescents, focusing on basic tasks such as browsing and messaging.

Key Findings of ASER 2024

• Preschool Enrollment:
• • Preschool enrollment for children aged 3-5 years has risen significantly, reaching 77.4% in 2024, indicating growing awareness of the importance of early childhood education.
  • Enrollment in early education institutions, such as Anganwadis, LKG, and UKG, has increased, reflecting a shift towards early learning in rural areas.
• Improvement in Foundational Skills (Age Group 6-14 Years):
  • Class III: The percentage of children able to read a Class II-level text has increased from 20.5% in 2022 to 27.1% in 2024.
  • Class V: The proportion of children who can read at least a Class II-level text rose from 42.8% in 2022 to 48.8% in 2024.
• Arithmetic Proficiency:
  • Class III: Over two-thirds of students still struggle with basic arithmetic like subtraction.
  • Class V: The percentage of students able to perform division has risen from 27.9% in 2018 to 30.7% in 2024.
  • Class VIII: Improvement in arithmetic proficiency has been marginal, from 44.1% in 2018 to 45.8% in 2024.
• Learning Gaps: 
  •  76% of Class III students, 55.2% of Class V students, and 32.5% of Class VIII students still cannot read a Class II-level text.

• State-wise Improvements:
  • Low-performing states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu showed notable recovery. For example, Uttar Pradesh’s Class III reading levels increased from 16.4% (2022) to 27.9% (2024).
  • High-performing states: Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra also saw significant improvements, showcasing the possibility of progress in areas with historically better educational outcomes.
• Digital Literacy:
  • Smartphone Access: Over 90% of rural adolescents (aged 15-16 years) now have access to smartphones, and 89% of adolescents aged 14-16 years have access, with 31.4% owning their own devices.
  • Gender Disparities in Digital Literacy: A gender gap exists, with 80.1% of boys and 78.6% of girls able to browse the internet for information. In some southern states, however, girls outperformed boys in digital skills.
  • Digital Safety Awareness: Boys displayed higher awareness of digital safety features, such as knowing how to block or report unsafe profiles (62% of boys vs. 54% of girls).
• Learning Recovery Post-Pandemic:
• • Government Schools: Government schools outperformed private schools in learning recovery, though private schools are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels of performance.

The Impact of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

• The NEP 2020 aims to address critical gaps in the education system, with particular emphasis on early childhood care and education (ECCE) and foundational literacy. The policy’s significant components include:
  • Integration of 3-6 Age Group: NEP includes children from ages 3-6 in the formal education framework, ensuring early cognitive and social development.
  • FLN Focus: The policy aims for universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by 2026-27. To facilitate this, 83% of schools were directed to implement FLN activities.
  • Training and Resources: 78% of schools reported at least one teacher trained in FLN, and 75% received learning materials to boost teaching quality.

The Importance of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

• The NEP highlights the importance of ECCE for children’s cognitive and social readiness before they enter Class 1.
•  This is where Anganwadis and other early childhood programs play a crucial role.
• Key Challenges in ECCE:
  • Data Collection: Ongoing and comprehensive data collection is essential for effective policy planning and monitoring of ECCE progress. 
  • For instance, Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 found that over 77% of children in the 3-5 years age group are now enrolled in preschool programs, yet there remains a lack of detailed data on the quality of learning within these programs, particularly in remote regions.
  • UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education), which is the government’s annual data collection mechanism for school education, provides insights into enrollment trends, but the depth of information on early childhood education remains limited. 
  • Budget and Resources: A long-term financial commitment is needed to ensure proper training for teachers and to strengthen the delivery of ECCE. According to the Ministry of Education, only about 35% of Anganwadis are equipped with essential learning materials and trained staff to deliver quality education. In 2022-23, the budget for ECCE was roughly ₹1,500 crore, which needs to be significantly increased to meet the demand for better infrastructure, learning materials, and teacher salaries.
  • Strengthening Anganwadis: Additional resources and better teacher training are required to improve Anganwadis’ role in early childhood education. In states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where Anganwadis face overcrowding and inadequate teacher training, the quality of education remains subpar. As per the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme, only 65% of Anganwadis are equipped with the necessary educational resources. 

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Key Government Initiatives for Improving Education 

• • Several government schemes aim to improve education, particularly in rural areas. Some of the major initiatives include:
    • PM-POSHAN Scheme (Mid-Day Meal Scheme): This initiative provides free meals to children attending primary and upper-primary schools, especially in rural and underserved areas. In 2023, the scheme reached over 12 crore children across more than 12 lakh schools in India.
    • SWAYAM Program: An online education initiative designed to provide quality education to students across India. SWAYAM has enrolled more than 12 million students since its inception in 2017. The program offers over 2,500 courses, with contributions from more than 1,000 institutions like IITs, IIMs, and central universities. As of 2023, around 50,000+ courses have been completed, with students from across rural and urban India benefiting from online education.
    • NIPUN Bharat:   Launched in 2021 by the Ministry of Education, this initiative aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school covering the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years by 2025. 
    • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a flagship program launched by the Government of India with the goal of achieving Universal Elementary Education (UEE) across the country. This initiative focuses on ensuring that every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years has access to quality education. It covers all states and districts in India, especially focusing on rural and underprivileged areas where education infrastructure is limited.  As of 2023, the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for primary education stands at 96%, indicating that nearly all children in the 6-14 age group are enrolled in schools. The dropout rate at the primary level has decreased to 4.3% in 2022-23, reflecting improved retention. 
    • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan: Focuses on girls’ education and ensuring their retention and progression through school levels. The program has facilitated 100% transition of girls at various educational levels in states like Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Punjab, contributing to a decline in the gender gap in education. 
    • Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan integrates various educational initiatives, including the SSA, RMSA, and Teacher Education programs, into one comprehensive framework. It aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education from pre-school to senior secondary education. Over 1.5 crore children have been enrolled under this program, which covers 1.13 million schools across India.
    • The Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) Program: Launched by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog, encourages students to develop innovative solutions and gain skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).   More than 5 million students have been part of ATL activities, where they engage in hands-on projects in areas such as robotics, 3D printing, and AI.  ATL has also fostered over 1,000 student innovations, with many projects being showcased at national and international forums.
    • Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV): The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) scheme provides residential schools for girls belonging to disadvantaged communities, with an emphasis on educating girls from rural areas, especially in backward regions. The scheme has significantly contributed to increasing girls’ enrollment in secondary education in remote areas, with the enrollment of girls in tribal and minority communities increasing by over 25% in the last decade.

Way Forward

• Policy Reinforcement – Strengthening NEP 2020 implementation and creating state-specific FLN programs.
• Resource Allocation – Increasing funding for government schools and investing in teacher training.
• Access and Equity – Ensuring equitable access to education and expanding digital infrastructure.
• Technology Integration – Using EdTech tools for improved FLN outcomes.
• Holistic Development – Encouraging socio-emotional learning and parental involvement.
• Accountability Mechanisms – Regular assessments to track learning progress.
• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration – Promoting public-private partnerships and community involvement.