Lok Sabha Question No. 539 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: International Quality Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DHARAM VIRA GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 539 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6.2.2017

## International Quality Education

539. SHRI DHARAM VIRA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN  RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT  be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Indian students have been performing poorly in the international evaluation  tests  such  as  Programme  for  International  Student  Assessment (PISA) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  quality education that match the international standards;
- (c)   whether the Government is planning to participate in the next PISA survey; and
- (d)  If so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a):  India  participated  in  Programme  for  International  Student  Assessment  (PISA) 2009 only through schools in two states, i.e., Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh. India has not participated in the PISA Test after 2009 as India has developed its own  student  assessment  system  called  the  National  Achievement  Survey  (NAS), which  is  independently  conducted  by  National  Council  of  Educational  Research and Training (NCERT) across the country on the latest international Item Response Theory (IRT) methodology. The NAS is conducted for classes III, V, VIII & X, i.e., the critical  stages  of  education,  early  primary,  end  of  primary,  upper  primary  and secondary levels. From current year onwards, Government has decided to conduct annual National Achievement Surveys covering all students from grade I-VIII 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.

(b): The Central Government through a centrally funded programme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan  (SSA),  financially  supports  State  and  UT  Governments  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  I  and  II  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. (c) & (d): No decision has been taken in this regard.

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