Lok Sabha Question No. 2003 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Survey
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PREM DAS RAI, C. MAHENDRAN, J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2003

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016

## Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Survey

2003. SHRI PREM DAS RAI: SHRI C. MAHENDRAN  : SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

- Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) data shows that the number of rural students attending school is rising but more than half of the students in fifth grade  are  unable  to  read  a  second  grade  text  book  and  are  not  able  to  solve  simple mathematical problems; (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, whether the Government accept the findings of the ASER Report; (c) if so, the details of action taken/ being taken by the Government in this regard; and (d)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  instituting  a  periodic  survey  on  the  same
- pattern to reach a wider  audience and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a) Yes,  Madam.  PRATHAM,  a  non-governmental  organization  conducts  annual achievement surveys released in the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). It is a household survey limited to rural areas of the country. As per their report of 2014, there has been an increase in the enrollment level of children in rural areas by 3.3% in 2013 and  3.6%  in  2014.    Further,  96%  children  in  the  6  to  14  age  group  are  enrolled  in schools in rural areas. The findings suggest that 48.1% of children in    grade  V can read a grade II text and 26.1% children in grade V have the ability to do division.
- (b) Some of the salient findings of the ASER-2014 Report include inter-alia, 96 % of children in the 6 to 14 age group are enrolled in schools in rural areas and that the percentage of out-of-schools children in the 6-14 age group is low at 3.3%.  Further, there  has  been  steady  improvement  in  provisioning  school  infrastructure.  However,  it expresses  some  concerns  regarding  learning  level  of  children  in  both  English  and Mathematics at the elementary level.

The Department  of School Education  &  Literacy, Ministry  of  Human  Resource Development was not associated with this ASER 2014 survey.

(c)  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA)  is  Government  of  India's  flagship  programme  for achievement  of  Universalization  of  Elementary  Education  (UEE)  in  a  time  bound manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right. Under SSA, the State government/UT administrations are being financially supported to address  gaps  and  challenges  in  ensuring  quality  education  to  children  in  elementary classes through recruitment of additional teachers to improve the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR),  regular  annual-in-service  teacher  training  to  all  teachers  to  update  their  skills and  knowledge,  support  for  Computer  Aided  Learning  at  upper  primary  level  and regular  academic  support  through  Block  Resource  Centres  and  Cluster  Resource Centres. Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat, a sub-programme under SSA has been launched to enhance the quality of foundational learning in languages and early mathematics in classes 1 & 2 and a focused programme for Science and Maths at upper primary level under SSA is also being supported. For secondary education, the Rashtriya Madhyamik  Shikhsa  Abhiyan  programme  similarly  provides  for  in-service  teacher training, academic support to schools for improving performance including training for Principals.

(d)  The  National  Council  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (NCERT)  conducts periodic national surveys of learning achievement of children in grade III, V and VIII and X.  Four rounds of National Achievement Survey (NAS) have been conducted so far for grade  V  and  three  rounds  for  grade  III  &  VIII.  These  reveal  improvement  in  learning achievement  levels  of  pupils,  in  identified  subjects  from  first  round  to  fourth  round. Since only first round of NAS has been conducted at grade X level, it is not possible to comment on the comparative learning achievement or decline of students of grade X. From current year onwards, Government has decided to conduct annual census based National Achievement Surveys covering all students from grade 1-8 in all government and government aided schools.  The students learning assessment will be according to the Learning Outcomes developed by NCERT for all subjects covering all classes in the elementary cycle.

*****