Image Courtesy : www.asercentre.org

The ASER 2023 report highlights significant challenges in language and math proficiency among students aged 14-18 in India. While the government promotes regional language instruction, approximately 25% of youth in this age group struggle to read a Class 2 level text fluently in their regional language.

In reading proficiency, females outperform males, with 76% reading Class 2 level text compared to 70.9%. However, males excel in arithmetic and English reading. About 57.3% can read sentences in English, with 73.5% understanding their meanings.

Compared with the previous year, the ability of children to read simple English sentences has stagnated at the 2016 level for Class 5 students. In Class 8, the proficiency has slightly decreased from 47.1% to 46.7%.

In mathematics, over half of the surveyed students struggle with division (3-digit by 1-digit) problems, a skill typically expected in Classes 3-4. Only 43.3% of 14-18-year-olds can perform such calculations correctly. The survey indicates that nearly 85% of surveyed youth can measure length using a scale starting from 0 cm, but this proportion drops sharply to 39% when the starting point is moved.

As per the report, approximately 50% can perform common calculations like time, adding weights, and applying the unitary method, with males outperforming females across all everyday calculations. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve language and math skills among Indian students.

News Source: The Indian Express