About 25% of students aged between 14-18 group still cannot read a Std II level text fluently in their regional language. Unexpectedly, more than half struggle with division (3-digit by 1-digit) problems and only 43.3% of 14-18-year-olds are able to do such problems correctly, as per the Annual Status of Education Report 2023.
The most recent report of the annual nationwide survey, conducted by the Pratham Education Foundation and its ASER Centre, centres on the demographic of 14 to 18-year-olds residing in rural India. It suggests that this skill is usually expected in Std III/IV. A little over half can read sentences in English (57.3%), it added.
The survey further highlights that of those who can read sentences in English, almost three quarters can tell their meanings (73.5%). Across enrollment categories, females (76%) do better than males (70.9%) in reading a Std II level text in their regional language. In contrast, males do better than their female counterparts in arithmetic and English reading.
As per the report, nearly 85% of surveyed youth can measure length using a scale when the starting point is 0 cm. This proportion drops sharply to 39% when the starting point is moved. Overall, close to 50% youth can do other common calculations such as calculating time, adding weights and applying the unitary method. Males do better than females across all everyday calculations. Youth who have basic proficiency in arithmetic are likely to do better on everyday calculations.
The findings of the survey revealed that although a majority of adolescents in the specified age range from rural areas are enrolled in the formal education system, a significant number of them lack essential literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the ability to apply their education in practical, everyday scenarios. Notably, there has been minimal progress in the learning levels of this demographic since their assessment by ASER in 2017.