This move aligns with recent findings from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, which highlighted significant variations in educational progress across states while showing an overall improvement in foundational learning levels.
Published Feb 16, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 16, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh. (X)
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu government will conduct its own educational survey covering 10 lakh students to assess post-pandemic learning recovery. This aligns with findings from the ASER 2024 report, highlighting progress in foundational literacy and numeracy. Tamil Nadu showed significant improvement, especially in reading and arithmetic skills. Concerns were raised by the state’s education minister regarding external surveys and their relevance.
The Tamil Nadu government is set to launch its own educational survey covering 10 lakh students— an effort aimed at assessing the state’s post-pandemic learning recovery and setting targeted interventions.
This move aligns with recent findings from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, which highlighted significant variations in educational progress across states while showing an overall improvement in foundational learning levels.
According to the report, the southern states are following different paths in this recovery. Kerala stands out for strong reading levels and digital access, Tamil Nadu for better school infrastructure, and Karnataka for balanced progress. Andhra Pradesh has improved in maths, and Telangana in digital literacy, but both still lag in other areas.
Speaking at a press gathering in Anna Centenary, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh expressed concerns over external surveys influencing the state’s education assessments.
He stated, “Like PMC and other agencies attempting to enter Tamil Nadu, a survey has been conducted under the Pradhan Mantri scheme, supposedly evaluating educational outcomes. However, this survey was neither conducted by the state education department nor included officials familiar with Tamil Nadu’s ground reality. They claim to have spoken to panchayat heads but did not visit the schools themselves.”
He further emphasized, “When I present a report, I will ensure that all 10 lakh students are accounted for and that the survey is conducted properly under Tamil Nadu’s purview. I was not even included in this process, while unknown individuals were—this is the key issue here.”
According to the ASER 2024 report, learning recovery has been uneven across India. While all-India estimates indicate stability, certain states have demonstrated remarkable improvements, surpassing pre-pandemic learning levels.
Tamil Nadu was among the low-performing states that have shown significant gains, particularly in foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills.
The report highlights a national trend of rising reading levels among elementary school children (Grades I-VIII) since 2022.
Specifically, the percentage of Grade V government school students who can read a Grade II-level text increased from 38.5 percent in 2022 to 44.8 percent in 2024. Tamil Nadu was among the states that recorded over a 10-percentage-point rise in this metric.
Similarly, arithmetic skills have also improved, with government school students in Grade III who can perform basic subtraction increasing from 20.2 percent in 2022 to 27.6 percent in 2024, with Tamil Nadu among the top states recording gains of over 15 percentage points.
Early childhood education enrollment has also seen an upward trajectory. The national enrollment rate for four-year-olds in pre-primary institutions rose from 82 percent in 2022 to 83.3 percent in 2024.
Tamil Nadu, along with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha, recorded pre-primary enrollment rates exceeding 95 percent, reinforcing the states’ commitment to early education.
The case of Uttar Pradesh, cited in the NSER 2024 report, exemplifies the potential for state-driven educational improvements.
Government school attendance in the state, historically below 60 percent since 2010, surged to 71.4 percent in 2024.
Moreover, the proportion of Grade III students in Uttar Pradesh government schools who can read at a Grade II level has risen from 16.4 percent in 2022 to 27.9 percent in 2024, demonstrating a focused effort to improve foundational learning.
Previously too, concerns regarding the ASER reports were raised by political leaders.
In 2023, Sivaganga MP and AICC member Karti Chidambaram voiced concerns on X regarding the findings of the ASER 2022 report. He stated, “The ASER 2022 report highlights a worrying trend in Tamil Nadu’s education system, with significant declines in reading and arithmetic levels. Equally alarming is the decrease in access to essential resources such as books, toilets, computers, playgrounds, and PE teachers. These findings require urgent attention from Anbil Mahesh and CM Stalin.
ASER 2022 report shows a worrying trend in education in our state, Tamil Nadu. Major dips in reading & arithmetic levels. Equally concerning is fall in availability of books, toilets, computers, playgrounds, PE teachers. @Anbil_Mahesh @CMOTamilnadu need to address these findings.
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) January 23, 2023
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
