Brief Context
Context Recently, the Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS), formerly known as the National Achievement Survey (NAS), released its 2025 findings. Concerns Arising from the Survey Declining Competency with Advancing Grades: There is a notable drop in learning outcomes from Grade 3 to Grade 9, especially in conceptual understanding and application. Urban-Rural and Regional Inequities: Northeastern states like Meghalaya a
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Syllabus: GS2/ Education
Context
- Recently, the Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS), formerly known as the National Achievement Survey (NAS), released its findings.
About PARAKH RS
- PARAKH is a national assessment body set up under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- Objective: To standardize assessment practices across the states and to provide reliable data on students’ learning outcomes.
- 2024 Survey Coverage:
- Assessed over 21 lakh students from 74,229 schools across 781 districts.
- Subjects included language and mathematics for all grades, “The World Around Us” for Grades 3 and 6, and science and social science for Grade 9.
- 2.7 lakh teachers and school leaders also participated through questionnaires.
Key Findings of the Survey
- Top Performing States/UTs: Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Chandigarh.
- Low Performing Districts:
- Grade 3: Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Reasi and Rajouri (J&K)
- Grade 6: North, South, and South West Garo Hills (Meghalaya)
- Grade 9: Shi Yomi (Arunachal Pradesh), South West and North Garo Hills (Meghalaya).
- Grade-Wise Learning Outcomes:
- Grade 3: Only 55% could order numbers up to 99; 54% understood basic multiplication/division.
- Grade 6: 44% identified environmental/social elements; 38% made predictions based on patterns.
- Grade 9: 45% understood the Constitution and national movement; 54% extracted key points from texts.
Concerns Arising from the Survey
- Declining Competency with Advancing Grades: There is a notable drop in learning outcomes from Grade 3 to Grade 9, especially in conceptual understanding and application.
- Urban-Rural and Regional Inequities: Northeastern states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh continue to lag in foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
- Public School Challenges: Government-aided and state schools underperform in mathematics and sciences, particularly in middle and high school levels.
Government Initiatives for Learning Improvement
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Focus on foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3; promotes experiential, competency-based learning, and equitable access to education.
- NIPUN Bharat Mission: Aims for all children to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026–27 through activity-based learning, teacher training, and parental engagement.
- Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Integrated school education scheme aimed at improving quality, access, and equity from pre-primary to Class 12, with emphasis on inclusive education and gender parity.
- Digital Initiatives: DIKSHA portal, PM e-Vidya, and SWAYAM for content dissemination, e-learning modules, and teacher training.
- TALA (Technology-Assisted Learning and Assessment): Encourages the use of AI, adaptive assessments, and digital tools for improving learning and tracking student progress.
Way Ahead
- Focused Remedial Education: Introduce targeted bridge programs and customised teaching-learning materials for underperforming regions and schools.
- Teacher Training and Accountability: Regular capacity-building workshops and learning outcome-based appraisals for teachers are essential.
- Strengthening Foundational Learning: Ensure rigorous implementation of NIPUN Bharat, particularly in low-performing districts.
- Leverage Data for Local Action: District-level data from PARAKH should be used by local education officers for context-specific policy measures.
- Strengthening Assessment Systems: Move beyond rote-based evaluations to competency-based assessments, as envisioned by NEP 2020.
Source: TH