Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024: Key Findings

The ASER 2024 report provides an overview of the recovery in foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) among school students post-COVID-19, highlighting improvements and persistent challenges.

Survey Methodology

• Survey conducted with approximately 6.5 lakh children across 605 villages in India.
• Framework based on the 2011 census, randomly selecting 30 villages per district and 20 households per village.
• Assessed children aged 5 to 16 in basic reading and arithmetic skills.

Key Findings on Literacy

• Class 3 students reading at Class 2 level:
  • 2022: 16.3%
  • 2024: 23.4%
• Class 5 students reading at Class 2 level: 
  • 2022: 38.5%
  • 2024: 44.8%
• Class 8 students reading at Class 2 level: 67.5% in 2024.

Key Findings on Numeracy

• Class 3 students solving subtraction problems: 33%.
• Class 5 students solving division problems: 
  • 2018: 27.9%
  • 2024: 30.7%
• Class 8 students basic arithmetic improvement: 
  • 2018: 44.1%
  • 2024: 45.8%

State-wise Improvement

• Himachal Pradesh and Bihar: 4 to 5.9 percentage point increase in basic skills.
• Odisha, Haryana, West Bengal, Jharkhand: 6 to 9.9 percentage point improvement.
• Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Mizoram: At least 10 percentage point increase.

School Initiatives

More than 75% of schools implemented a three-month school readiness program for Grade 1 students in government schools.

Technological Access and Usage Among Teens

• 89% of teenagers aged 14-16 have access to smartphones at home.
• 31.4% of these teenagers own their smartphones.
• Usage: 
  • 57% use smartphones for education.
  • 76% access social media.

Gender Differences in Technology Use

Boys are more knowledgeable about phone safety features compared to girls:

• 62% know how to block or report a profile.
• 55.2% know how to make a profile private.