India’s learning report card: ASER 2024 highlights big worries in literacy and numeracy skills Premium

ASER 2024 report highlights educational disparities in India, urging for policy reforms and innovative assessment methods for improvement.

India’s education system has been under intense scrutiny in recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 provides a much-needed insight into the state of foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) across the country. While some States have made commendable progress, others continue to lag, highlighting stark disparities in learning outcomes across India. While media reports, individual comments, and opinions on social media have highlighted these disparities, a structured policy mandate that decision-makers at the State and Union levels need to follow remains elusive.

Certain States have demonstrated remarkable progress in foundational learning, particularly in reading and arithmetic skills among primary school students. Leading the charge are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Mizoram, and Maharashtra, where a significant proportion of students in government schools can read at grade-appropriate levels and perform basic mathematical operations.

Kerala continues to maintain its reputation as an education leader. According to ASER 2024, over 73% of Class 5 students in government schools can read a Class 2 level text​. This is one of the highest literacy rates recorded in the country, a testament to the State’s long-standing investments in early childhood education, teacher training, and community engagement.

Mizoram with 64.9% and Himachal Pradesh with 64.8% have reported some of the highest proportions of Class 5 students who can read at Class 2 level​. These states have focused on teacher training, structured pedagogy, and student attendance to ensure better learning outcomes.

Maharashtra, which suffered learning losses during the pandemic, has shown its resilience with a good recovery. The Class 5 reading levels have climbed back to 59.3% from 56.8% in 2022. It shows the State’s post-pandemic education recovery plans have yielded results​.

While some States have made steady progress, others continue to struggle with low literacy and numeracy levels. The ASER 2024 report identifies Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal as States requiring focused interventions.

Uttar Pradesh has seen a significant improvement in foundational literacy since 2014. Especially in the last three years, the State has bounded fast. It is much ahead of leaders such as Tamil Nadu. However, it still lags behind many other States.