Committee for Free Education Implementation under the RTE Act, 2009

Andhra Pradesh to determine Per-Child Expenditure for Students Admitted to Private Schools under the Right to Education Act (2025)

Introduction

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), represents a landmark legislation in India that ensures equitable access to education for all children aged 6 to 14 years. A recent development reported on April 2, 2025, in The Hindu highlights the formation of a State-level committee by the School Education Department in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, tasked with determining the ‘per-child’ expenditure for students admitted to private schools under the RTE Act. This initiative underscores the ongoing efforts to operationalize the Act’s provisions, particularly Section 12(1)(c), which mandates all the private unaided schools to reserve twenty-five percent of their entry-level seats for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged sections, with the government reimbursing the associated costs; the present article provides a detailed analysis of the committee’s formation, historical context, the necessity driving its establishment, the state-wise status of RTE implementation, and the broader significance of the RTE Act.

Historical Perspective

The RTE Act, enacted on August 4, 2009, and effective from April 1, 2010, emerged from decades of advocacy for universal education in India. Rooted in Article 21A of the Constitution of India, inserted via the 86th Amendment in 2002, the Act transformed education from a directive principle into a fundamental right. Historically, the education system in India has been marked by disparities, with access often limited by socio-economic status, caste, and geography. Pre-independence efforts, such as the Wardha Scheme of 1937, and post-independence policies, including the Kothari Commission (1964-66), laid the groundwork for universal education, yet implementation remained uneven.

The RTE Act responded to these persistent gaps, aiming to bridge the divide between public and private education systems. Section 12(1)(c) explicitly addresses the privatization trend by mandating private schools to integrate marginalized children, reflecting a hybrid public-private partnership model. The Vijayawada Committee’s formation in 2025 continues this effort, addressing operational challenges that have persisted since the Act’s inception. Unfortunately, even after about 15 years of RTE implementation, Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act 2009 still needs further refinements, which is true not only for Andhra Pradesh but for the rest of the states of India.

Necessity for the Committee

Several factors necessitated the establishment of the State-level committee in Andhra Pradesh:

1 Financial Ambiguity: The RTE Act mandates government reimbursement of private schools for admitting disadvantaged students, but the lack of a standardized ‘per-child’ expenditure formula has led to disputes and delays. The committee aims to resolve this by setting a precise, evidence-based rate.

2 Implementation Gaps: Despite 15 years of the RTE Act, compliance with Section 12(1)(c) remains inconsistent. Private schools often resist admitting students due to financial uncertainties or perceived quality dilution, necessitating a structured oversight mechanism.

3 Regional Disparities: Andhra Pradesh, like many states, faces unique challenges, including a growing private school sector and rural-urban divides. The committee’s diverse composition—government officials, private school representatives, and NGOs—ensures a balanced approach to these issues.

4 Timely Action for 2025-26: With the academic year approaching, immediate assessment of per-child costs is critical to ensure smooth admissions and reimbursements, as stipulated in the G.O. (No. 103) issued on April 1, 2025.

Analysis of the Committee’s Structure and Mandate

The committee, chaired by the Principal Secretary/Special Chief Secretary of School Education, includes key stakeholders: finance and education department officials, private school representatives (e.g., APPUSMA, APPSA, ISMA, UPEIF), and NGOs (e.g., Indus Action, Pratham, UNICEF). This multi-stakeholder approach reflects an intent to balance fiscal responsibility with educational equity.

The mandate involves:

• Determining Per-Child Expenditure: Assessing costs based on factors like infrastructure, teacher salaries, and operational expenses, to be reviewed annually in December.
• Reimbursement Mechanism: Facilitating direct transfers via RTGS/NEFT in two instalments (50 percent in September and 50 percent in January), ensuring school financial predictability.
• Timeline: Immediate action for 2025-26, with meetings every three months initially, then annually.

This structure addresses past criticisms of ad-hoc reimbursements and lack of transparency, potentially setting a model for other states.

State-Wise Status of RTE Section 12(1)(c) Implementation

The implementation of Section 12(1)(c) varies widely across India, reflecting diverse socio-economic and administrative contexts:

• Andhra Pradesh: In 2024, the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) reported that 25,125 children were slated for free education under RTE, yet vacancies persist due to non-compliance by some schools. The new committee aims to streamline this process.
• Tamil Nadu: As of 2024, Tamil Nadu filled approximately 80 percent of its RTE seats, but parents report challenges like hidden fees and lack of awareness, as noted in The Hindu (April 21, 2024).
• Karnataka: A 2024 survey identified 63 illegally operating private schools, with 294 violating medium-of-instruction norms, indicating enforcement issues despite mandatory RTE registration.
• Maharashtra: Reports suggest over 50 percent compliance in urban areas like Mumbai, but rural regions lag, with vacancies exceeding 30 percent in some districts.
• Uttar Pradesh: With a large population and private school network, compliance is below 40 percent, hampered by inadequate monitoring and funding delays.

Nationally, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023 estimated that only 20-25 percent of eligible children benefit from Section 12(1)(c), with over 1 million seats remaining vacant annually due to bureaucratic hurdles and resistance from private institutions.

Criteria for Per-Child Expenditure

The committee’s criteria for determining expenditure can be inferred from RTE guidelines and educational economics:

• Direct Costs: Tuition fees, uniforms, textbooks, and stationery, as mandated under RTE.
• Indirect Costs: Pro-rata share of infrastructure (classrooms, libraries) and staff salaries.
• Regional Adjustments: Variations based on urban vs. rural settings and private school fee structures.
• Quality Standards: Ensuring reimbursements align with minimum learning outcomes, a core RTE goal.

Importance of the RTE Act and Section 12(1)(c)

The RTE Act is a cornerstone of commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education. Its significance lies in:

• Equity: Breaking socio-economic barriers by integrating marginalized children into mainstream education.
• Public-Private Synergy: Leveraging private infrastructure to supplement public schools facing resource constraints.
• Legal Mandate: Enforcing accountability through judicial oversight, with Supreme Court of India rulings (e.g., Society for the Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan v. Union of India, 2012) upholding Section 12(1)(c).

Section 12(1)(c) specifically:

• Targets Disadvantage: Ensures 25 percent reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (e.g., SC/ST, OBC, disabled), defined by income (e.g., below ₹2 lakh annually in many states) and social criteria.
• Shifts Burden: Transfers financial responsibility to the state, reducing out-of-pocket costs for low-income families.
• Promotes Inclusion: Fosters social cohesion by mixing diverse student cohorts, challenging the elitism of private education.

Critical Analysis

While the committee’s formation is a progressive step, challenges remain:

• Enforcement: Past resistance from private schools suggests compliance may depend on punitive measures, which the article does not address.
• Funding: The reliance on state budgets raises concerns about sustainability, especially in economically strained regions.
• Equity vs. Quality: Integrating EWS students risk stigmatization or resource dilution unless pedagogical support is enhanced.
• Data Gaps: The lack of real-time, state-wise data on seat utilization hampers effective policy-making, a gap the committee could address through robust monitoring.

Comparatively, states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have experimented with online portals for RTE admissions, a potential enhancement for Andhra Pradesh. Globally, models like Brazil’s Bolsa Família, which ties education subsidies to attendance, offer lessons in incentivizing compliance.

Concluding Observations

The Vijayawada committee represents a pragmatic response to operationalizing the RTE Act’s vision of inclusive education. Standardizing per-child expenditure and ensuring timely reimbursements address a critical bottleneck in Section 12(1)(c)’s implementation. However, its success hinges on enforcement, stakeholder cooperation, and sustained funding. Historically, the RTE Act has shifted India’s educational paradigm, yet its full potential remains unrealized due to systemic inequities. This initiative could serve as a blueprint for other states, reinforcing the Act’s transformative promise while highlighting the need for continuous evaluation & adaptation.

Suggested Readings

• The Hindu. (2025, April 2). “Panel to ensure smooth implementation of free education for poor children in private schools.”
• Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, Government of India.
• Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2023, Pratham Foundation.
• Society for the Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan v. Union Government of India, Supreme Court of India, 2012.
• Ministry of Education, Government of India, RTE Implementation Reports (various years).

Education for All in India

Decoding ASER 2023: Understanding the Educational Landscape of India (2024)

Background

Since 2005, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), an initiative led by the Pratham Education Foundation, has diligently monitored the educational scenario in rural India. The 2023 edition, titled “Beyond Basics,” delves into the lives and learning experiences of 14-18-year-olds. This edition goes beyond mere enrollment statistics, evaluating their proficiency in basic skills, aspirations, and access to digital technology. ASER 2023 sheds light on crucial aspects of youth development, offering valuable insights for policy formulation and educational interventions.

Methodology and ASER’s Evolution

ASER employs a distinctive citizen-led methodology, where trained volunteers conduct household surveys using age-appropriate tools. This grassroots approach ensures precise data collection while fostering local ownership of the education process. ASER has evolved from its initial focus on enrollment and basic learning levels to exploring themes like early childhood education, digital literacy, and vocational skills. This year’s emphasis on young adults recognizes their pivotal role in shaping India’s future.

ASER 2023: Key Findings

The ASER 2023 report holds significance for several reasons:

1. Focus on Critical Age Group: ASER 2023 addresses a crucial gap in understanding this demographic by examining young adults. Recognizing their aspirations, challenges, and skill sets is essential for shaping India’s future.
2. Beyond Enrollment: While enrollment is crucial, ASER 2023 evaluates learning outcomes and life skills, providing a more comprehensive view of the education system’s effectiveness.
3. Digital Divide: The report highlights the digital divide in rural India, urging policymakers to ensure equitable access to digital opportunities for all, including rural areas and bridge the gaps.
4. Influencing Policy: Data-driven insights from ASER 2023 may inform evidence-based policy decisions and program interventions at national and state levels. State-specific analyses are crucial for tailored interventions at the local level.

ASER 2023: Main Findings (ASERCentre)

Critical Findings at National and State Levels

The latest ASER report focuses on “Beyond Basics” skills of rural youth aged 14-18 in India. The survey covered 28 districts across 26 states, reaching 34,745 youth. Key findings include:

Education and Enrollment

• High enrollment:8 percent of 14-18-year-olds are enrolled in an educational institution; this is a positive indicator, showing that many young people are continuing their education beyond primary school. But at the same time, it is also true that many young people of this age group may still be in elementary grades, which otherwise means that without improving the efficiency of the elementary level of education, all youths can’t reach secondary and higher secondary levels of education.
• Gender gap:There are small gender gaps in enrollment, with slightly more boys than girls. However, the gap is much more significant for older youth, with 32.6 percent of 18-year-olds not enrolled compared to just 3.9 percent of 14-year-olds; this clearly shows that many people do not continue post-elementary education.
• Stream choices:Most young people in this age group were enrolled in the Arts/Humanities stream (55.7 percent). STEM subjects are less popular, with only 31.7 percent of students enrolled in this stream; this is especially concerning for girls, as only 28.1 percent are registered in STEM compared to 36.3 percent of boys. Bringing more girls to STEM subjects must be the top priority if India desires to attain a 100 percent enrollment ratio in the case of school education by 2030, as specified in NEP 2020.

Work and Livelihoods

• Gender differences: A higher percentage of males engage in non-household work, highlighting a gender gap in workforce participation.
• Family farms: Youth engaged in non-household work, especially on family farms, emphasizing agriculture’s continued importance.

Digital Access and Skills

• Device ownership: Only 37.5% of households own smartphones, revealing a significant digital divide.
• Digital skills: Limited proficiency (37.9%) in basic digital tasks indicates a need for increased investment in digital literacy programs.

Aspirations

• Higher education aspirations: Approximately 60% of youth aspire to pursue higher education, indicating resilient aspirations despite challenges.

Using ASER Data for Educational Improvement

ASER data can enhance education quality through:

• Targeted interventions for specific challenges in lagging states and districts.
• Improving learning methodologies based on identified gaps in foundational skills.
• Bridging the digital divide through infrastructure, training, and digital literacy initiatives.
• Empowering youth through informed career counseling, skill development, and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Why ASER Matters

ASER findings are crucial for various stakeholders:

• Policymakers benefit from evidence-based decision-making.
• Educators and administrators can tailor interventions to improve teaching practices.
• Communities and parents gain awareness to hold schools accountable and demand better education quality.

Leveraging ASER for Quality Improvement

ASER data can enhance educational quality by:

• Targeting interventions in low-performing districts and groups.
• Informing teacher training programs based on qualifications and effectiveness.
• Directing resources to address learning material and infrastructure gaps.
• Fostering community engagement by disseminating ASER findings to address educational challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is ASER 2023, and why is it significant?

ASER 2023 is the Annual Status of Education Report, a detailed examination of rural education in India led by the Pratham Education Foundation. It holds significance for policymakers, educators, and communities, providing insights into youth development, digital access, and educational aspirations.

Q2: How does ASER collect its data?

ASER employs a citizen-led methodology, utilizing trained volunteers who conduct household surveys using age-appropriate tools. This grassroots approach ensures accurate data collection and fosters local ownership of the education process.

Q3: What are the main focus areas of ASER 2023?

ASER 2024 focuses on youth aged 14-18, exploring areas such as enrollment, learning outcomes, digital access, STEM education, vocational training, and the aspirations of young adults. It goes beyond basic education metrics to provide a holistic view of the educational landscape.

Q4: What does the report reveal about digital access in rural India?

The report highlights a significant digital divide, with only 37.5% of households owning a smartphone and 14.4% having internet access at home. This emphasizes the need for initiatives to ensure equitable access to digital opportunities and bridge the gaps.

Q5: How does ASER address gender disparities in education?

ASER 2024 identifies gender gaps in enrollment and workforce participation. For instance, while there are small gender gaps in enrollment, a more significant gap emerges among older youth, indicating challenges in post-elementary education continuation.

Q6: What are the key findings regarding vocational training?

The report indicates that only 5.6% of surveyed youth are currently undertaking vocational training or related courses. This underscores the need for increased emphasis on vocational skills development in India.

Q7: How can ASER data be used for educational improvement?

ASER data can inform targeted interventions, improve learning methodologies, bridge the digital divide, and empower youth through career counseling and skill development programs. It serves as a valuable tool for evidence-based policy decisions.

Q8: Why is the focus on STEM education and vocational training important?

The report highlights concerns about the popularity of STEM subjects, especially among girls, and the low participation in vocational training. Focusing on these areas is crucial for equipping youth with diverse skills, aligning with the goals outlined in the National Education Policy 2020.

Q9: What role does ASER play in shaping education policy?

ASER provides data-driven insights that can guide evidence-based policy decisions and program interventions at both national and state levels. The detailed state-specific analysis is essential for tailoring interventions to address local challenges.

Q10: How can communities and parents benefit from ASER findings?

ASER findings create awareness about learning levels, empowering communities to hold schools accountable and demand better quality education. This involvement fosters a sense of responsibility and collaboration in improving educational outcomes at the local level.

Masters in Arts Launched by NIEPA, New Delhi (MAED)

BACKGROUND

The MA program at NIEPA is full-time, and students must complete 60 credits. The program is divided into the core curriculum and the electives. The core curriculum includes courses on educational theory, policy, and practice, as well as development and social change courses. In addition to coursework, students in the MA program at NIEPA are also required to complete a research project. The research project allows students to apply the knowledge & skills they learned in the program to real-world problems.

The Job Opportunities

The MA program at NIEPA is competitive, and admission is based on a combination of various modes, including academic performance, work experience, and letters of recommendation. The MA program at NIEPA prepares students for various careers in education, development, and public policy. Graduates of the program have worked in various settings, including schools, government agencies, NGOs, and research institutions. Most scholars who have attained Ph.D. degrees from NIEPA are placed in Universities & organizations of repute.

Some of the benefits of pursuing an MA in Education and Development from NIEPA: A solid academic foundation in education and development, the opportunity to research a real-world problem, a chance to network with experts in the field, access to a wide range of resources, including libraries, laboratories, and research centers, potential to pursue a career in education, development, or public policy, etc.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in education or development, the MA program at NIEPA is an excellent option. The program offers a solid academic foundation, the opportunity to conduct research, and the chance to network with experts in the field.

NIEPAs MA Vs. PhD/Mphil Programmes

NIEPA also offers Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs in Educational Policy, Planning, and Administration. The main difference between the two programs is the level of specialization and research required NIEPA’s Ph.D. program is a four-year program that is designed to prepare students for careers in research & teaching. Students in the Ph.D. program take courses in various areas, including educational theory, research methods, and policy analysis. They also complete a dissertation, which is a research project that makes a significant contribution to the field of educational policy, planning, and administration.

Eligibility for MAED

• The Applicants should have recognized a 3-year or 4-year bachelor’s degree in any discipline; &
• The minimum age limit for admission to MAED is 21 years, & the maximum is 65 years for admission.

Mode of Application

Online & the following documents are required to submit online at the time of filling up the admission application:

• 10 Class mark sheets and certificate
• 12 Class mark sheet and certificate
• The undergraduate mark sheet and degree certificate
• SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Persons with Disabilities certificates, if applicable
• NOC from employer, if working; and
• Fee payment/submission receipt

Selection Process

The admission to MAED will be based on a National Level Entrance Test followed by personal interviews. The online written test will have both MCQ and Essay[type questions.

• Syllabi for MCQ: Quantitative aptitude, research aptitude, logical reasoning, comprehension, digital technology
• Syllabi for Essay-type Questions: Educational policies and practices, data analysis and interpretations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Right to Education (RTE), education of disadvantaged, developmental issues and challenges

Deadlines

• Call for the Applications May 22, 2023
• Closure for Application Submission June 28, 2023
• Written Test July 07, 2023
• Personal Interviews July 14, 2023
• Declaration of Final Results July 21, 2023
• Admissions July 26, 2023
• Commencement of the Classes July 31, 2023

Websites

Always visit the following web pages for the authentic details of the MAED program of NIEPA.

• NIEPA, New Delhi
• MAED Admission Form
• MAED Announcement by NIEPA
• MAED Flier 2023
• MAED Prospects 2023 by NIEPA

NIEPA’s Other Prestigious Programmes

• IDEPA 2023
• PGDEPA 2023

Education for Allin India

e-Book by Arun C Mehta: FORTY YEARS OF ARUN C MEHTA at NIEPA, New Delhi

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Professor Arun C. Mehta
Professor & Head (Formerly)
Department of Educational Management Information System
NIEPA, New Delhi

Ph.D. (Demographic Projections) from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur; specialist in EMIS, Quantitative Techniques and Projections and Forecasting of Educational Data; authored books on Education for All in India, Enrolment Projections, Population Projections and Upper Primary Education and contributed a number of research articles in journals and in NUEPA Occasional Paper Series; published a number of reports annually based on DISE data; presented papers both at the Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Consulted by World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO and ACCU (Japan), Trained at UNESCO Regional Office at Bangkok and Harvard Institute of International Development, USA. Was actively engaged in strengthening of Educational Management Information System in India during 2001 to 2017 (January) at the national level and managed one of the World’s largest information systems i.e. District Information System for Education (DISE/U-DISE).

http://schoolreportcards.in & www.udise.in developed under the guidance of Prof. Mehta is the recipient of e-Governance 2010 & eINDIA 2010 National Awards & Manthan Award South Asia 2010 & EMPI Indian Express Indian Innovation Award 2012.

www.educationforallinindia.com
www.udise.in
www.schoolreportcards.in

e-Book Released: 15th February 2022

The  e-Book, entitled Forty Years of Arun C Mehta at NIEPA: 1980 to 2019 was released  on 15th February 2022 by Prof. N. V. Varghese, Vice-Chancellor, NIEPA, New Delhi. Prof. Varghese highlighted importance of research work done by Prof. Mehta, specially his contributions towards strengthening Educational Management Information System (EMIS) in India through Unified District Information System for Education (U-DISE) in his address.

Prof. Mehta presented details of e-Book in the release function. Prof. G. D. Sharma, Former Head of the Higher Education Department, NIEPA and Prof. Sridhar Srivastava, Joint Director, NCERT, New Delhi reflected on research work  carried out by Prof. Mehta over almost four decades and highlighted importance of self accountability in the academic field.  Shri A. N. Reddy, Assistant Professor, NIEPA made the introductory observations and welcome the guests and briefly introduced the speakers.

Video Recording of Release Function

The Foreword of e-Book  is written  by Prof. Kuldeep Mathur, Former Director, NIEPA.

Late Prof. B. P. Khandelwal (Former Director NIEPA), Prof. P. K. Joshi (Former Director NIEPA & presently Chairman of UPSC), Prof. R. Govinda (Former Vice-Chancellor, NIEPA), Shri Baldev Mahajan (Former Joint Director NIEPA), Prof. Marmar Mukhopadhyay (Former Joint Director, NIEPA), Prof. G. D. Sharma (Former Head of the Higher Education Department, NIEPA), Prof. Najma Akhtar (Former Professor NIEPA & presently Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Milia Islamia University), Mr. Simon Ellis (Former Regional Director UNESCO Institute for Statistics) and Prof. Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, Chair of Education and International Development, University College London have extensively commented on the research undertaken by Prof. Arun C Mehta.

Foreword & Observations on Research  by Prof. Arun C Mehta

Download Full e-Book

Video Recording of Release Function

National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021  Results Released on 25th May 2022

The @EduMinOfIndia has released the report on National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021, held on 12.11.2021. Approx. 34 lakh students from government, government-aided and private schools participated in this survey. The report is available on: http://nas.gov.in

National Achievement Survey 2021, National Report, Grades 3, 5, 8, and 10

National Achievement Survey 2021, State Report, Grades 3, 5, 8, and 10

National Achievement Survey 2021, District Report, Grades 3, 5, 8, and 10

• National, state and district report cards are made available for Class 3, 5, 8 and 10 in language, Social Science, science and mathematics which is not an easy task to analyse.
• Report cards reveals that many states has lower average marks in 2021 than in 2017, true for all the subjects.
• 1,18,274 schools, 5,26,824 teachers and 34,01,158 students participated in NAS 21 across grades 3, 5,8 and 10.
• NAS was conducted on 12 November 2021 across the Country.
• Out of scaled scores of 500, class 3 has an average score of 323 in language, 306 in mathematics and 307 in EVS
• Out of scaled scores of 500, class 3 has an average score of 323 in language, 306 in mathematics and 307 in EVS
• Out of scaled scores of 500, class 8 has an average score of 302 in language, 255 in mathematics, 250 in science and 255 in social science.
• Out of scaled scores of 500, class 10 has an average score of 260 in MIL, 220 in mathematics, 206 in science, 231 in social science and 277 in English.
• Many states have lower average scores than the overall average scores
• 38 percent students faced difficulty in learning at home during COVID, 78 percent it was burdensome, lot of assignments.
• 24 percent sample students didn’t have digital device at home, 80 percent found learning better in school with peers help.
• average achievement score in Class 3 in mathematics is 306. In Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, UP, UKD, the same is significantly below that of the overall achievement score.
• Average achievement score in Class 5 in mathematics is 284. In Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, UP, UKD etc, the same is significantly below that of the overall achievement score. Against which, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, MP, Punjab, Rajasthan, WB etc have significantly above the overall achievement score.
• Average achievement score in Class 8 in mathematics is 255. In Andhra, Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, UP, UKD, the same is significantly below than the overall achievement score. Against which, Bihar, Chandigarh, Haryana, MP, Punjab, Rajasthan etc have significantly above the overall achievement score.
• Average achievement score in Class 8 in mathematics is 255. In Andhra, Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, UP, UKD, the same is significantly below than the overall achievement score. Against which, Bihar, Chandigarh, Haryana, MP, Punjab, Rajasthan etc have scores significantly above the overall achievement score

NCERT NAS Reports

NEW DELHI: The National Achievement Survey 2021 was successfully conducted on Thursday. Nearly 96% of the sampled schools and 92% of the targeted sampled children of Classes 3, 5, 8 and 10 from 24 states/UTs participated in the survey.

The results of NAS 2021 will be prepared in the form of district report cards, state/UT reports and national reports. “These NAS report cards will enable states and the Union Territories to identify gaps in learning outcomes and take remedial steps,” as per the ministry of education.

The government conducts the survey every three years. Last NAS was held on November 13, 2017, for assessing the competencies developed by the children of Classes 3, 5 and 8.

This year, NAS 2021 was conducted in 22 mediums of instruction as available in the sampled schools. There are 3 phases of NAS exercise, namely instrument development, sampling design and actual administration of the test.

NAS 2021 is the first achievement survey after the release of National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). NAS 2021 will infuse the competency-based assessment system over the content and memory-based assessment as envisaged by NEP 2020, as per the official statement.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced closure of schools has interrupted the learning in different levels and “there is an urgent need to evaluate children’s progress and learning competencies to analyze and examine the health of the education sector for taking necessary action at the district, state and national level.”

“The assessment focuses not only on cognitive learning but also other skills that children may have picked up, while being at home during the pandemic such as painting, cooking, photography, reading, gardening etc.” it added.

“NCERT, being the nodal academic body, has done the instrument development, testing, finalization of the test items.”

To maintain impartiality, actual administration of the test in the sampled schools was conducted by CBSE in collaboration with states and UTs.

Besides student achievement tests, pupil questionnaires, teachers questionnaires and school questionnaires were also obtained to understand the various settings and perspectives of students, teachers and schools.

These questionnaires were conducted to understand the background, teacher training, rural-urban, effectiveness of online education etc to comprehend the education system.

“It will also help in the capacity building for teachers and officials involved in the delivery of education in the country. The result from the assessment would also provide a rich repository of evidence and data points furthering the scope of research and development,” the official statement read.

Source: News.Careers360

NAS to be Launched Soon by NCERT

Education For All in India wholeheartedly welcome statement of Union Education Minister informing Parliament that National Council of Educational Research and Training will soon conduct the next NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT SUVRVEY (NAS).

Unlhttp://ncert.ac.inike 2017 NAS, the next NAS will cover both the Private as well as Government schools which is a step in the right direction.

We have been demanding the same for long time to extend the coverage to Private schools.

Most likely the next NAS will be conducted by NCERT in November 2021, the last such survey was conducted  on 13th November 2018 for classes III, V and VIII and for Class X in 2018. It is expected that NAS 2021 will be based on a sample of about 4 million students from across the Country.

Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning in India: Leveraging Administrative Data for Educational Outcomes

PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024: A Comprehensive Analysis and Its Implications for Educational Landscape in India

PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 & Follow-up Actions: Suggestions for Improving Future Educational Surveys