Lok Sabha Question No. 287 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: NIPUN Bharat Mission
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-287 ANSWERED ON-02/02/2026

## NIPUN Bharat Mission

287. Shri Brijmohan Agrawal:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  progress  under  NIPUN  Bharat  Mission  in  achieving  Foundational  Literacy  and Numeracy (FLN) targets as per NEP 2020, along with ASER 2024 data on rural children's skills, State/UT-wise including Chhattisgarh;
- (b) the details of targeted interventions to address widening regional disparities in FLN outcomes, particularly in lagging States like Bihar and Telangana and tribal districts of Chhattisgarh affected by language barriers;
- (c)  the  number  of  'Smart  Classrooms'  or  tablets  have  been  deployed  in  tribal-dominated  primary schools to provide digital FLN content in native languages for an equitable recovery in Chhattisgarh;
- (d) the extent to which the intersections with schemes like Samagra Shiksha and DIKSHA are being leveraged for equitable recovery, including multilingual resources and digital access; and
- (e)  the  timelines  and  strategies  for  universal  FLN  proficiency  by  2026-27,  benefiting  rural stakeholders?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a):  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020  gives  the  highest  priority  to  achieving  universal Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for all children by Grade II. To achieve this objective, Ministry of Education launched the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding  and  Numeracy  (NIPUN  Bharat  Mission)  on  5th  July  2021,  to  create  an  enabling ecosystem for early learning across States and Union Territories.

Under the Mission, a range of systemic interventions have been undertaken. These include nationwide implementation of Vidya Pravesh, a three-month school-readiness module for all Grade 1

students;  large-scale  teacher  and  school  head  training  through  NISHTHA  (National  Initiative  for School  Heads'  and  Teachers'  Holistic  Advancement)-FLN  focusing  on  activity-based  and  childcentric pedagogy; provision of play-based and digital learning resources such as DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing)- FLN content,  Jaadui Pitara &e-Jaadui Pitara for children in the  3-8  age  group,  Primers  developed  in  121  Local  Languages  for  foundational  literacy  and numeracy in mother tongue. Further, guidelines on co-location of Anganwadi Centres with primary schools,  released  on  3rd  September  2025,  ensure  convergence  between  school  education  and Anganwadis, supporting smoother transition from pre-school to Grade 1.

PARAKH  (Performance  Assessment,  Review,  and  Analysis  of  Knowledge  for  Holistic Development)  is  conducted  to  evaluate  the  learning  competencies  of  students  in  Foundational Literacy & Numeracy, Language and Mathematics at the end of each of the educational stages i.e. Foundational,  Preparatory  and  Middle  in  Grades  3,  6  &  9.  PARAKH  is  conducted  once  in  three years.

The latest PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan, 2024 was conducted on 4th December, 2024. The State/UT wise PARAKH 2024 report has been officially released in public domain on 2nd July, 2025. This can be accessed at https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en

PARAKH  Rashtriya  Sarvekshan  2024  findings  highlight  a  significant  improvement  in foundational  literacy  and  numeracy  skills  outcomes,  reflecting  the  positive  impact  of  the  NIPUN Bharat Mission as envisioned in NEP 2020. It reflects that the performance of children in Grade 3 in rural school is better than urban schools and government schools have performed better than private schools at foundational stage.

|             | Grade 3: Comparative Picture   | Grade 3: Comparative Picture   |
|-------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|             | NAS 2021                       | PRS 2024                       |
| Language    | 62                             | 64                             |
| Mathematics | 57                             | 60                             |

(b): To reduce regional and linguistic disparities in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), the Government has undertaken targeted interventions in  line  with  NEP  2020  and  the  NIPUN  Bharat Mission.

As informed by Telangana, a State-specific FLN Mission launched in 2022 extends FLN up to Grade V with clearly defined learning outcomes and district-wise implementation, focusing on underperforming regions. The State has institutionalised baseline, midline and endline assessments, mock tests and national sample studies to identify learning gaps and guide remedial action through school  complex-level  academic  reviews. Teacher  capacity  building  has  been  strengthened  through multi-level  training  programmes,  including  induction  and  specialised  training  for  Urdu-medium teachers.  Level-based  instruction,  bridge  courses,  structured  teaching-learning  materials,  print-rich classrooms and FLN kits support lagging students, while an AI-based adaptive learning programme has been piloted in selected low-performing districts. Dedicated Project Management Units and ICTenabled  monitoring  through  the Telangana  School  Education App  ensure  continuous  tracking  and review.  These  efforts  have  led  to  measurable  improvement,  with  Telangana's  Grade  III  rank, improving from 36 in NAS, 2021 to 27 in PRS, 2024.

As  informed  by  Chhattisgarh,  to  address  language  barriers  in  tribal-dominated  regions,  primary education is  being  provided  in  18  local  languages  and  dialects,  in  line  with  NEP  2020.  Language mapping  has  been  undertaken  to  assess  classroom-level  diversity,  and  multilingual  education initiatives are being implemented in tribal areas. Teachers and education officials are being trained for  effective  local  language-based  instruction,  supported  by  the  development  and  distribution  of culturally  relevant  teaching-learning  materials.  Community  engagement  is  being  strengthened through storytelling festivals and school museums, alongside efforts to establish model multilingual schools and document best practices. Trilingual dictionaries and digital  content in local languages have  also  been  developed  and  distributed  in Chhattisgarhi,  Halbi  and  Surgujiha with  the  help  of CIIL, Mysore. Together, these measures aim to ensure equitable FLN outcomes across diverse and underserved regions.

As informed by Bihar, the Government has undertaken targeted, context-specific interventions under the NIPUN Bharat Mission to address regional disparities in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), particularly in lagging States and linguistically diverse districts. The focus has shifted from diagnosis  to  a  continuous  evidence-based  improvement  cycle,  supported  by  regular  baseline  and midline assessments. Learning gaps identified through assessments have informed targeted teacher professional  development,  with  an  increased  emphasis  on  practical  classroom  demonstrations  and addressing  subject-specific  'hard  spots'  in  literacy  and  numeracy.  Standardized  teacher  guides, promotion  of locally developed  teaching-learning materials, and strengthened parent-teacher engagement mechanisms further support improved classroom practices. Mission implementation is reinforced through multi-tier governance structures to ensure close monitoring and accountability.

(c):  Under  Smart  Classroom  component  in  Samagra  Shiksha,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to States/UTs, for establishing Smart Classrooms at Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary levels (Grade VI-XII) in schools including the tribal areas.

As per PRABANDH Portal, till date, 10,771 Smart Classrooms have been sanctioned to State of  Chhattisgarh  including  tribal  dominated  areas,  out  of  which,  5,857  Smart  Classrooms  are functional.

(d)  &  (e):  The  NIPUN  Bharat  Mission  is  a  part  of  the  Samagra  Shiksha  scheme  and  leverages DIKSHA digital platform to strengthen access to quality teaching-learning resources in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) classrooms. Under Samagra Shiksha, financial and academic support is provided to States and Union Territories for the development and dissemination of age-appropriate teaching-learning materials, teacher capacity building, and creation of enabling school infrastructure, including digital resources. DIKSHA hosts a dedicated FLN vertical aligned with the objectives of NIPUN  Bharat,  for  students  from  pre-primary  to  Grade  2,  and  supporting  teachers,  parents,  and caregivers. It also integrates NISHTHA-FLN online teacher training modules and provides guidance for parental engagement. Together, these convergent efforts have strengthened teachers' pedagogical practices,  enabled  blended  learning,  and  significantly  enhanced  digital  learning  access  in  FLN classrooms, including rural and remote areas.

NIPUN  Bharat  Mission  is  being  implemented  in  mission  mode  to  achieve  universal Foundational Literacy and Numeracy proficiency by 2026-27. Clear grade-wise learning outcomes and  benchmarks  have  been  notified.  Key  strategies  include  the  nationwide  implementation  of  the Vidya Pravesh school readiness programme, large-scale teacher professional  development  through NISHTHA-FLN, availability of play- and activity-based teaching-learning materials such as Jaadui Pitara and e-Jaadui Pitara, continuous formative assessment through the Holistic Progress Card, and data-driven monitoring.  Progress is  reviewed periodically  at  the  national,  state,  district,  and  block levels to enable timely course correction and targeted support. These measures are intended to ensure equitable access, improved learning outcomes, and attainment of universal FLN proficiency within the stipulated timeline.

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