ASER Report 2024: Remarkable Gains in Grade 3 Literacy and Math Skills
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Synopsis
The ASER 2024 report reveals significant improvements in reading and arithmetic skills among Grade 3 students in India, largely attributed to the NIPUN Bharat Mission launched in 2021.
Key Takeaways
- 43% increase in Grade 3 reading skills.
- 30% improvement in arithmetic skills.
- NIPUN Bharat Mission launched to enhance foundational skills.
- Universal FLN aimed for by 2026-27.
- Over ₹9,235 crores invested in educational reforms.
New Delhi, Jan 28 (NationPress) The newly published Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for 2024 was unveiled on Tuesday, highlighting a significant resurgence in foundational learning among Grade 3 students nationwide.
According to the survey's results, Grade 3 students have displayed considerable advancements in reading and arithmetic skills within government schools, marking a pivotal moment for educational reform.
“In 2024, the percentage of Grade 3 students capable of reading Grade 2-level texts increased by an impressive 43 percent, climbing from 16.3 percent in 2022 to 23.4 percent. This recovery follows a prolonged decline caused by learning losses during the COVID pandemic, where basic reading levels stood at 20.9 percent in 2018 before further decline,” stated an official announcement.
“Arithmetic abilities have also improved by 30 percent: the fraction of Grade 3 children able to perform basic subtraction grew from 25.9 percent in 2021 to 33.7 percent in 2024,” it added.
The government’s ambitious NIPUN Bharat Mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy), initiated in 2021, is credited with this positive shift.
The mission aims to ensure that all children attain grade-level reading and numeracy skills by the conclusion of Grade 2.
The policy’s guidelines emphasize, “Our utmost priority must be to secure universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) in primary education and beyond by 2026-27.”
This initiative has also spurred considerable financial investments. Between 2021 and 2025, ₹9,235 crores were allocated under the Samagra Shiksha framework, with over ₹2,000 crores earmarked annually for teacher training, assessments, and high-quality learning resources. The budgetary support in ensuring effective interventions across schools has played a crucial role in enhancing teaching and learning practices.
Over the past three years, NIPUN Bharat has facilitated extensive changes in classroom approaches and resource distribution, which includes the execution of FLN activities for Grades 1-3, equipping schools with teaching materials, distributing textbooks, and offering school readiness programs for incoming Grade I students.
