The ASER annual report on the levels of learning for the age group 14-18 in rural India was released on Wednesday. The survey is titled ‘Beyond Basics’ and has been carried out by Pratham Educational Foundation since 2005.
The survey conducted in rural India aimed to assess the enrolment and learning progress of children. The annual report highlighted the challenges in education, revealing that 86.8% of 14 to 18-year-olds are enrolled in educational institutions. However, a worrisome 25% within this age group face difficulties in reading fluently at even a second grade level in their regional language.
Although women outperform men in reading second grade level texts (at 76%) while men excel in arithmetic and English reading. The findings have shed light on the need to address disparities in learning outcomes and language proficiency and shown the urgent need for targeted efforts to improve education quality in rural India.
ASER Report on challenges in learning
Furthermore, the ASER survey has also provided insights into the enrolment status, reading and arithmetic skills, mathematics proficiency, and gender disparities prevalent in the learning outcomes of the rural students. The report has highlighted challenges in reading and has noted that 85% of the youth that was surveyed can measure length when starting at 0 cm, but only 39% when the starting point is shifted.
It reveals that only 50% of youth excel in common calculations like time, weights, and unitary methods. Mathematics competence is a significant concern with over half struggling with division problems (3-digit by 1-digit), and only 43.3% of 14-18-year-olds can solve such problems, expected in earlier grades.
The survey by ASER also exposes gender gaps in STEM course preferences, with 28.1% of women compared to 36.3% of men. English proficiency is noted, with 57.3% of surveyed youth able to read sentences in English. The findings really suggest the need for targeted interventions to address these educational challenges in rural India. Moreover, in the wake of the success of the film 12th Fail which depicted the status of students in rural India, these survey results ring an alarm.
The ASER survey has also shed light on the educational streams chosen by students, especially in the 11th grade or higher. The report reveals that 55.7% of students are enrolled in the Arts or Humanities stream, followed by STEM at 31.7%, and Commerce at 9.4%. This information provides insights into the academic preferences and choices of students as they advance in their education. The survey covered 28 districts across 26 states, reaching 34,745 youth in one rural district in each major state. An exception was made for Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh where two rural districts were surveyed in each. The findings have contributed valuable data for understanding the educational landscape and preferences among rural youth in diverse regions.
Digital Access of Rural Students
The ASER survey also delved into digital access and usage among youth in rural areas and has revealed that almost 90% have access to smartphones, with males being more than twice as likely to own one compared to females. Only 9% have a computer or laptop at home. Half of surveyed males have email IDs, while almost all youth use social media. About two-thirds of smartphone users engage in education-related activities, and a quarter of non-enrolled youth also participate. Around 25% use smartphones for online services, with males more likely to access them. Moreover, nearly 80% use smartphones for entertainment activities, such as watching movies or listening to music.
The results of the ASER survey have shown that the status of rural education is a cause for concern. There needs to be more expenditure on improving schooling in rural areas. Furthermore, their need to be changes made at a fundamental level to improve education, especially for rural students and make it feasible and accessible for them. After all, the right to education is a fundamental right.
