Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024: Chandigarh shines on paper, but learning gaps laid bare

Hindustan Times

9 hours ago

Even as Chandigarh has performed better than the national average in the Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 — a nationwide test to check learning levels of students in Classes 3, 6 and 9 — the detailed report has revealed glaring learning gaps in key areas. As per the detailed report, in Class 3, only 54% students from Chandigarh could add or subtract two-digit numbers or arrange numbers from 1 to 99 in ascending and descending order correctly. (AP)
The survey, earlier called the National Achievement Survey, is conducted every three years by NCERT under the Union ministry of education. The latest edition took place on December 4, 2024, with 3,365 students from 81 government and private schools appearing for the test in Chandigarh.
Through multiple-choice questions, Class 3 students were quizzed about language and mathematics. The questions for Class 6 students pertained to language, mathematics and the world around us, while those for Class 9 were about language, mathematics and science.
The results were released in Delhi on Wednesday in a conference with all secretaries and state project directors of all states and UTs.
Chandigarh performed better than the national average in all subjects and classes — except Class 3 maths, where its score matched the national average.
The city performed best in Class 9 language. But the gap between what students are expected to know and what they actually know grew wider in higher classes.
Red lines galore in report card
As per the detailed report, in Class 3, only 54% students could add or subtract two-digit numbers or arrange numbers from 1 to 99 in ascending and descending order correctly. Just 47% could perform simple transactions with money up to ₹100, while around 61-62% could understand short news or stories.
In Class 6, only 28% students could work with common fractions in real life and 41% could convert centimetres to metres. Around 58% could read simple maps of the city, state and country to identify natural and manmade features.
Among senior students in Class 9, only 26% understood the concept of percentages and could solve related math problems.
Only 50% could describe biological changes during adolescence and measures to ensure overall wellbeing, although this is significantly higher than national average. Just 42% students could distinguish the characteristics of living organisms from non-living organisms.
UT director of school education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said the detailed data will help the UT analyse weaknesses and make targeted improvements.
Chandigarh maintains first position among UTs
In the National Achievement Survey conducted in 2021, Chandigarh had got the first spot among UTs for all grades, which were Classes 3, 5, 8 and 10. This time, the rankings have been combined for both states and UTs.
In Classes 6 and 9, Chandigarh is third among all states and UTs, but among just UTs, it's first in both grades. It shared the first spot in Class 6 with Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.
It stood first among UTs even in Class 3, tied with Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but ninth among all states and UTs.
These scores are also factored into the Performance Grading Index (PGI) rankings, where Chandigarh led the pack in the 2023-24 edition, released recently.