National Achievement Survey (NAS)-2021:
The Ministry of Education released the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 report.
- The Triennial Survey was conducted in November 2021.
- About 34 lakh students of 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts from both rural and urban areas have participated in NAS 2021.
- It is a nationwide survey to assess the learning outcomes and health of the education system.
Highlights of the NAS 2021:
- The national average percentage of students for class third was 59%, which declined by 10% to 49% in class fifth.
- It further declined to 41.9% in class eight and then 37.8% in class 10.
- The performance recorded a decline in almost all subjects.
- For instance, the mathematics score nationally was 57% in class third, dropping by almost 10% to 44% in fifth, and to 36% in class eighth, and 32% in class 10th.
- The language score nationally was 62% in class third, and dropped to 52% in class fifth, and to 53% in class eighth.
- For science, the national score declined from 39% in class eighth to 35% in class 10.
- The average performance of schools in rural areas remained “significantly below” those urban areas in same states and union territories (UTs).
- The performance of students from the schedule caste (SC)/ schedule tribe (ST)/ Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories remained lower than that of students from the general category.
- The average performance of girls remained better than the boys in almost all subjects across the classes, both nationally and at state level.
- The perception of students about learning at home during the pandemic when the schools remained closed, and 78% of students termed it as burdensome with a lot of assignments.
- At least 38% of students faced difficulties in learning at home, while 24% said they did not have digital devices at home.
