ASER 2024 highlights a strong learning recovery in government schools, with improved reading and arithmetic skills. Despite progress, declining enrollment poses challenges, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to ensure equitable, quality education for all.
The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 highlights a steady post-pandemic recovery in foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) among rural students in India. The survey, conducted by Pratham, shows improved reading and arithmetic skills in students of Classes 3 and 5, particularly in government schools. However, a slight decline in government school enrollment at the elementary level has been observed.
Key Findings of ASER 2024 (Rural)
Pre-Primary Education (Ages 3-5)
- Enrollment in pre-primary institutions has grown consistently, reaching 77.4% in 2024, up from 75.8% in 2022 and 68.1% in 2018.
- Among 4-year-olds, enrollment increased from 76% (2018) to 83.3% (2024).
- Anganwadi centers remain the primary providers of early childhood education in India.
- One-third of all 5-year-olds now attend a private school or pre-school.
Elementary Education (Ages 6-14)
- School enrollment rates in this age group have remained above 95% for nearly 20 years across all states.
- Government school enrollment has declined, dropping from 72.9% in 2022 to 66.8% in 2024, a trend observed in most states except Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.
- Reading levels in government schools have improved across all elementary grades (Classes 1-8) since 2022.
- Basic arithmetic skills have improved in both government and private schools.
Older Students (Ages 15-16)
- The percentage of children aged 15-16 not enrolled in school has declined from 13.1% in 2018 to 7.5% in 2022.
- Digital literacy is on the rise, with 70.2% of boys and 62.2% of girls able to use a smartphone for digital tasks.
- The proportion of girls not enrolled in school has slightly increased from 7.9% in 2022 to 8.1% in 2024.
- Digital safety awareness is improving, with 62% of students knowing how to block or report profiles and 55.2% understanding how to make their profiles private.
Conclusion
The ASER 2024 report provides a mixed picture of India’s rural education landscape. While government schools have made notable progress in learning recovery, concerns remain regarding the decline in enrollment and rising non-enrollment among teenage girls. The findings emphasize the need for continued efforts to bridge learning gaps, enhance digital literacy, and ensure equitable access to education for all students.
