Lok Sabha Question No. 213 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-04
Subject: Survey by NCERT
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 213 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2019

## Survey by NCERT

## 213. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

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

(a)  whether  the  National  Council  of  Education  Research  and  Training  (NCERT)  recently released the National Achievement Survey 2017;

(b) if so, the number of districts and students covered under this survey;

(c) whether there is a trend of low learning in higher class as 40% of students can not answer questions in maths, science and social science;

- (d) if so, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the extent to which staff crunch, crowded class rooms and inadequate funds are responsible for low learning in higher classes; and

(f) the trend in urban and rural areas shown in the survey and steps taken or being taken by the Government in consultation with States in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a) to (f): National Achievement Survey (NAS) was conducted on 13th November, 2017 through which the learning levels of around 22 lakh students of Classes III, V and VIII from 1.10 lakh schools across 701 districts in all 36 States and UTs were assessed. Students of Classes III and V were  assessed  on  Reading  Comprehension,  Mathematics  and  Environmental  Studies  and  Class VIII students were assessed on Language, Maths, Science and Social Science. This competency based  assessment  was  based  on  the  Learning  Outcomes  developed  by  the  National  Council  of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Along with the test items, questionnaires pertaining to  students,  teachers  and  schools  were  also  used.  District  report  cards  for  NAS  2017  have  been released and are available on MHRD website.

NAS evidences that the performance of the students decreases with the advancement of the grade in  general.  The  NAS  2017  was  conducted  on  Learning  Outcomes  for  the  first  time.  The  items assessing the performance of the students were all competencies based. NCERT has initiated the post NAS activities to improve the Learning levels of the students in rural and urban areas. The short terms actions include sharing of findings with State level officers, and DIET functionaries in regional  workshops  and  Understanding  of  the  learning  gaps  in  the  Districts  by  the  State functionaries.  The  medium  term  goal  for  NAS  includes  sharing  of  findings  of  NAS  with  Block Resource  Coordinators  (BRCs),  teachers,  head  teachers,  parents,  SMC  members  and  other stakeholders,  orientation  of  BRCs,  Cluster  Resource  Coordinators  (CRCs)  and  teachers  on evolving  learning  strategies  to  enhance  learning  outcomes  at  different  grade  levels,  facilitating teachers in using alternative instructional strategies to bridge the learning gaps with the support of State functionaries, and seeking support from community to improve the learning levels.

During 2018-19, many modules for the post NAS interventions have been initiated which includes understanding the district report cards, pedagogical inputs to target the learning outcomes, school based  assessment,  promoting  experiential  learning,  sports  and  art  integrated  education  and improving community participation.

Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and a majority of the schools are under the jurisdiction of respective States and Union Territories (UT). Hence, the infrastructure and teachers related aspects of education are primarily in the domain of respective State Governments and UT Administrations. However, the requirement of infrastructural facilities in schools are worked out every year by the respective State/Union Territory on incremental basis depending on their need and priority and this is reflected in their Annual Work Plan and Budget. The Central Government through  the  Samagra  Shiksha  scheme  provide  assistance  to  the  States  and  UTs  for  school infrastructural facilities and for additional teachers to maintain appropriate Pupil Teacher Ratio, as per norms. Further Samagra Shiksha supports States and UTs on early grade reading, writing & comprehension,  and  early  Mathematics  programmes  through  a  sub-programme  namely  'Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat' (PBBB) in foundational years of schooling. Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) was also launched to motivate and engage children of the age group from 6-18 years in Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, etc. both through inside and outside classroom activities.

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