The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 has revealed notable progress in foundational literacy and numeracy skills among primary school students in India. The report highlights a significant improvement in reading and arithmetic abilities, particularly among Grade 3 students in government schools.
According to the findings, the percentage of Grade 3 students who can read Grade 2-level text has increased by 43 per cent, rising from 16.3 per cent in 2022 to 23.4 per cent in 2024. This recovery follows a period of learning loss during the Covid-19 pandemic. Similarly, arithmetic proficiency has witnessed a 30 per cent improvement, with the proportion of Grade 3 children able to perform basic subtraction increasing from 25.9 per cent in 2021 to 33.7 per cent in 2024.
The improvements are largely attributed to the NIPUN Bharat Mission, launched in 2021, which aims to ensure universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by 2026-27. Under the Samagra Shiksha framework, the government allocated Rs 9,235 crores between 2021 and 2025, with over Rs 2,000 crores earmarked annually for teacher training, assessments, and high-quality learning resources.
However, the trend of increasing government school enrolment observed during the Covid-19 period appears to have reversed. The proportion of children aged 6-14 enrolled in government schools, which had peaked at 72.9 per cent in 2022, has declined to 66.8 per cent in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels. Conversely, private school enrolment has been steadily rising since 2006.
ASER 2024, a nationwide rural household survey, covered 6,49,491 children across 605 districts. For the first time, it included an assessment of digital literacy among children aged 14-16, evaluating access to technology and basic digital skills.
