India's Learning Crisis: NEP 2020 Shows Progress, Gaps Remain

India's education landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, prioritizing foundational literacy and numeracy. This policy shift, especially through the NIPUN Bharat mission, has yielded encouraging results, with recent ASER data indicating a notable improvement in reading and numeracy skills across Grades 3 and 5, surpassing pre-COVID levels. This marks a crucial development after years where 50 percent of Grade 5 students struggled with basic Grade 2-level reading.

Despite these advancements, the learning crisis is far from resolved. Experts highlight that learning trajectories flatten sharply after primary school, with a concerning 30 percent of Grade 8 students still unable to read at a Grade 2 level. This accumulation of learning deficits underscores the urgent need for effective catch-up strategies for older children and a stronger focus on retention and meaningful educational transitions.

Challenges persist in ensuring consistent attendance and engagement, especially for girls in rural areas. Issues like absenteeism, domestic responsibilities, and safety concerns contribute to high dropout rates from elementary to secondary school. Furthermore, the policy gap regarding fees in open schooling systems disproportionately affects disadvantaged children.

The discussion also emphasized the critical need to elevate the status of vocational education. Currently, skills are often perceived as a fallback option rather than a valuable pursuit. Experts advocate for integrating skill development universally, even within elite institutions, to ensure that education leads to sustainable livelihoods for all, particularly for young women.