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Although about 87% of the adolescents surveyed were enrolled in school, their basic literacy and numeracy skills were inadequate. Many struggled to read fluently or solve elementary arithmetic problems in their native language.
The survey, conducted in 2023, included 34,745 students from 1,664 villages in 28 districts in 26 states. It assessed their abilities to read, do basic mathematics, and understand written instructions in their native language and in English. Disappointingly, according to the survey results, there has been minimal progress in these learning outcomes compared to a similar assessment of the same group in 2017.
This may be due to the focus being on completing the curriculum rather than ensuring good learning outcomes for each student in the class. Furthermore, schools have no mechanism to address the needs of children who lag behind. Since students are automatically promoted to class 8 under the Right to Education, the learning deficit of students increases with each grade.
According to the survey, at the age of 14, only 4% of children were not enrolled in school. However, by the age of 18, this number increases significantly, with approximately 33% not attending school or graduate courses.
By gender and type of institution, at age 14, 71% of boys and 72% of girls were studying in government institutions, while 25.9% of boys and 23.5% of girls were enrolled in private institutions. By the age of 18, attendance in government schools or colleges for both boys and girls dropped to just over 44%. In private institutions, the figure was 23.9% for boys and 21.7% for girls.
peppermint Decodes the study and what it means for the Indian economy.
test their abilities
Adolescents contacted for the study were given five tasks. For example, they were asked to read original text in their own language to test their ability to read easily and without making too many mistakes as sentences rather than as a series of words. Those who were unable to read sentences were asked to read words from a list. Those who were unable to read words correctly were tested on their ability to recognize letters.
Similarly, for the English test, the child’s ability to recognize capital and small letters and then read words and sentences was assessed. Upon being able to read correctly, the child was asked to translate the text into the local language.
For the arithmetic test, the teen was first given some questions on subtraction of two digits. The child was tested for his ability to solve division problems, while being able to recognize the subtraction sign and solve problems. Those who could not solve subtraction problems were tested on their ability to recognize numbers.
Adolescents were also asked to perform some simple everyday calculations related to time (hours and minutes), weight and height, perform some financial calculations related to budget management and applying discounts and read instructions on oral rehydration salts (ORS). And their ability to follow them was tested. package. Awareness of digital products and services, access to devices and the Internet, and information on use of smartphones and computers.
performance in testing
The results mirror 2017 results, which showed that many teenagers lack fundamental reading and numeracy skills. While 74% could read text fluently in their regional language, only 43% could solve division problems, and 57% could read English sentences. There was considerable variation in these skills in different districts.
Only half were able to perform simple calculations using the unitary method. Most of those who could do division were able to use the unitary method. When their ability to read and understand the instructions on the ORS packet was assessed, about 65% were able to answer three out of the four questions asked.
Aspirations and career options
Despite poor educational outcomes, influenced by changing social norms regarding the age of marriage, most adolescents wish to continue their education beyond grade 12, especially girls. Career aspirations vary significantly by gender, with boys preferring roles in the military, police or engineering, and girls preferring careers in teaching, medicine or nursing.
Girls’ work aspirations were also influenced by the socio-economic context of the place where they were living and growing up.
implications for the economy
Poor educational outcomes may limit India’s ability to fully take advantage of its demographic dividend. Many young people will likely move into low-skilled, low-paid jobs, mostly as casual laborers, or in agriculture. About 40% of the boys surveyed were already working on family farms.
Vocational training remains rare, with an extremely low 5.6% engaged in such programs. At the college level this proportion increased to 16.2%.
With agricultural incomes growing slowly and skills training still not becoming common, without proper intervention rural incomes may remain depressed for years to come.
“As a country, we need to adequately equip our youth with the essential knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to thrive for themselves and their families and communities,” Pratham wrote in the report.
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