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Indian Express
16-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
NCERT School Survey: A must know for UPSC current affairs
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on an important school survey. (Relevance: The Education sector is crucial for the government to attain the goal of Vikshit Bharat. This survey provides an assessment report on the initiatives taken by the government and identifies areas that require further attention. The data provided in the article can be used for value addition in your UPSC Mains. Importantly, questions have been asked on this sector in the UPSC exam. ) Learning levels are yet to bounce back to pre-Covid levels in the primary stage, with students in Class 3 still not having caught up with the performance recorded in 2017, reveals Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, a survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan, which was called the National Achievement Survey (NAS) in previous iterations, assessed 21.15 lakh students in Classes 3, 6, and 9 across 74,229 schools in December 2024. 1. Class 3 students assessed in language and Mathematics fared better compared to 2021, when learning levels were captured in the wake of the pandemic and the resultant disruptions in education, but their scores remained lower than the pre-Covid level in 2017. 2. Notably, the scores of only Class 3 can be compared with 2017 and 2021 since it is the only common class in all three rounds of assessment. The 2017 NAS was held for Classes 3, 5 and 8, while the 2021 NAS was for Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10. 3. Significantly, the 2024 survey was aligned with the stages of the National Education Policy 2020, under which Class 3 marks the end of the foundational stage of school education, Class 6 the end of the preparatory stage, and Class 9 the end of the middle stage. The objective of this survey is to evaluate the effectiveness of India's school education system by assessing competencies at various educational stages. 4. According to its findings, Class 3 students recorded an average national score of 64% in language in 2024 — a two-percentage-point increase from 62% in 2021, but lower than the 2017 score of 66.7%. Similarly, in Maths, the national average score in 2024 was 60% — above the 57% recorded in 2021, but below 63% scored in 2017. 5. In terms of the language competencies they were assessed on, Class 3 students scored the lowest (60%) in reading short stories and comprehending their meaning, while they fared best (67%) in knowing and using words to carry out day-to-day interactions. 6. In Maths, Class 3 students fared poorly in geometric shapes and simple money transactions, scoring an average of 50% in both. They performed best (69%) in identifying simple patterns, shapes, and numbers. 7. PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) was set up in 2023 as the National Assessment Centre, with one of its mandates being to organise these achievement surveys. 8. The survey, spearheaded by the NCERT and the CBSE, assesses school students' learning achievements. A sample of school students from government, government-aided and private schools from each district in the country take the assessment. Along with the Parakh survey, there are two other education assessments to gauge learning levels among children. Each tool offers a different lens to India's current education system. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 1. Since 2005, the NGO Pratham has released the Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) to measure basic reading and arithmetic levels among school children, attendance in school, and other indicators. 2. The 2024 survey, which was released in January this year, recorded major gains in the share of children of the pre-primary age group (3 to 5 years) enrolled in some kind of institution (LKG/UKG/Anganwadi/others). 3. There were substantial increases in reading and arithmetic levels – an encouraging development after the learning losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was also the first full-length ASER survey to record digital literacy among older children (15 and 16 years). Keeping with recent trends, the percentage of children in this age group not enrolled in school has gone down (around 7% today). 4. This year's survey also showed that in terms of digital access, more than 90% of rural adolescents have access to a smartphone. Children were also evaluated on their ability to do tasks such as searching for information online or setting an alarm. In terms of both accessibility and skills, there were some gender gaps. For instance, 80.1% of boys (ages 14 to 16) could browse for information, against 78.6% of girls. In some southern states, girls either outperformed boys or were at the same level as them. 5. According to the report, the basic reading levels for Class 3 children enrolled in government schools have been the highest since the survey began 20 years ago. Reading level: The number of Class 3 children who can read a Class 2 textbook in government schools stands at 23.4%, up from 16.3% in 2022 and 20.9% in the pre-pandemic year of 2018. Overall reading levels, across both government and private schools, too improved from 20.5% in 2022 to 27.1% in 2024, almost touching the pre-pandemic level of 27.3%. Arithmetic levels, too, improved across both government and private schools. The percentage of Class 5 students who can read a Class 2 textbook has gone up from 42.8% in 2022 to 48.7% in 2024. 6. FLS was a one-time nationwide exercise conducted by NCERT in 2022 to assess the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) after the launch of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat in July 2021. 7. NIPUN is a national mission that aims to enable all children at the end of Grade 3 to attain foundational skills by the year 2026-2027. 8. The FLS Study is a school-based performance assessment where a selected sample of children from grade 3 were assessed by a test administrator in a one-on-one setting where each child responded to a set of questions administered orally. 9. It found that 37 per cent of students enrolled in Class III have 'limited' foundational numeracy skills, such as identifying numbers, while 11 per cent 'lack the most basic knowledge and skills'. 10. It also assessed the literacy skills of students in 20 languages, including English. While 15 per cent lacked 'basic skills' in English, 30 per cent were found to have 'limited skills'. Consider the following statements: 1. Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, released by NITI Aayog, has revealed that the enrollment of students in class III has increased. 2. NIPUN mission aims to enable all children at the end of Grade 3 to attain foundational skills by the year 2026-2027. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (Source: Class 3 learning still lower than pre-Covid level: Govt survey, ASER 2024, National survey of students soon: What is it, how it has changed from previous years) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Himanta Biswa Sarma meets Chairman of 16th Finance Commission; discusses issues related to devolution of funds
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday met the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission , Dr. Arvind Panagariya and discussed a gamut of issues pertaining to devolution of funds given the state's unique aspects. In course of the 40-minute meeting at Bhawan Annexe, 1 Tolstoy Marg here, Chief Minister Sarma highlighted Assam's unique challenges ranging from its diverse geography to the impact of climate change , its strategic position vis-a-vis proximity to international borders coupled with demographic shifts. Emphasising that Assam's unique challenges demand tailored solutions, the Chief Minister underscored the need for bridging regional disparities as the way forward towards a Vikshit Bharat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo The Chief Minister pointed out that despite the impediment, the State has been able to achieve higher capital expenditure and put up remarkable performance in vital sectors, including health, education, drinking water, infrastructure, local governance, disaster mitigation, power etc. Sarma said the present government is wholly committed to ensure that Assam emerges as a net contributor in India's quest to become the third largest economy. Towards this end, insightful submissions were made that could help to give added impetus to Cooperative Federalism , address vertical and horizontal challenges, and strike a fine balance between equity and efficiency. Live Events The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dwivedi, Commissioner and Secretary, Finance Department, Govt. of Assam, Jayant Narlikar and other officials. Later taking to X (formerly Twitter) the Chief Minister wrote, "It is always insightful to meet Shri @APanagariya Ji, the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission. We discussed aspects unique to Assam with regards to devolution of funds." It may be recalled that Chief Minister Dr. Sarma in course of a meeting with the Chairman and members of the 16th Finance Commission during their visit to Assam on September 26 last year had urged the commission to increase Assam's share within the framework of horizontal devolution and to accord the North East Region comprising eight states as a collective block by allocating 10% of Central tax revenues. "To realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making the Northeast a growth engine, greater fund devolution is crucial," the Chief Minister quipped. Constituted on December 31, 2023, with Dr. Arvind Panagariya, former Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, as its chairman, the 16th Finance Commission is mandated to submit its recommendations by October 31, 2025, for the award period of five years commencing from April 1 2026.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Operation Sindoor and the Battle for Bengal: Modi vs Mamata in Early 2026 Poll Push
Published : Jun 14, 2025 14:28 IST - 8 MINS READ The election fever seems to have hit West Bengal earlier than usual this year. With close to a year remaining before the 2026 Assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent public rally in north Bengal and the subsequent reaction by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have kick-started preparations for the battle for Bengal, setting the tone for upcoming electoral campaigns in the State. Apart from the usual issues of corruption, misrule, law and order, and politics of appeasement, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now brought new weapons to its arsenal to take on the ruling Trinamool Congress—Operation Sindoor, 'Vikshit Bharat' (Developed India), and the attacks on Hindus in West Bengal's Murshidabad district during recent anti-Waqf Act protests. On May 29, while Trinamool Lok Sabha MP and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was garnering support for India against Pakistan as part of an all-party delegation for India's global outreach on Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool government while addressing a public rally in Alipurduar district in north Bengal. Though still very early to launch an electoral campaign for the Assembly election, Modi's speech left little doubt that the BJP had shifted into election gear. While he attacked Mamata Banerjee's government on familiar issues—corruption, the School Service Commission recruitment scam that resulted in more than 25,000 teachers losing their jobs, misrule, law and order, and alleged appeasement politics—the subjects that took centre stage were the success of Operation Sindoor and the promise of 'Vikshit Bharat' by 2047. Also Read | Mamata Banerjee's corruption crackdown: Calculated move or genuine reform? Referring to the Durga Puja tradition of 'Sindoor khela' (where married women apply vermilion on each other on the last day of Durga Puja), Modi said, 'I have come to the land that celebrates Sindoor Khela... People of Bengal were very angry after the terror attack in Pahalgam, and I could understand your anger. The terrorists wiped out our sisters' sindoor, but soldiers taught them the power of sindoor.' He said that Pakistan, which indulges in 'terror tactics' after failing in battle, has been made to understand that there is a 'price to pay' for a terror strike. In the same rally, BJP State president and junior Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar spoke of his party carrying out 'Operation Bengal' in the coming days. 'I can see thousands of workers in front of me, and they will carry out 'Operation Bengal' like 'Operation Sindoor'. They will uproot the government from this State and throw it into the Bay of Bengal,' Majumdar said. It soon became clear that Operation Sindoor would be central to the Bengal election campaign when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reacted with her customary belligerence and attacked the Prime Minister for using military action against Pakistan as an election tool. 'Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor have become election issues that are being brought up in rallies... Why haven't the terrorists responsible for wiping the sindoor from the women been arrested yet? They are playing politics with a serious issue, and that is unacceptable,' Mamata said soon after Modi's speech. Launching a personal attack on Modi, she said, 'First he was a tea seller, then a chowkidar, and now he is selling sindoor... You are not the husband of everybody. Why don't you give sindoor to your missus first? Sorry to say. I should not go into all these matters. But you compel us in the name of Operation Sindoor (when your party men refer to) Operation Bengal. You compel us to open our mouths.' She challenged Modi to announce an early election. 'If you have the power, then hold the elections tomorrow itself. Bengal will never fall into the hands of the BJP,' she said, refuting the Prime Minister's allegations. Two days later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a party workers' meeting in Kolkata on June 1, alleged that Mamata Banerjee was opposed to Operation Sindoor in line with her politics of Muslim appeasement. Politics over Operation Sindoor intensified further when on June 10, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed a resolution lauding the Indian armed forces in their recent battle with Pakistan. 'This house commends the coordinated efforts of the different wings of the Indian Armed Forces in targeting with absolute precision and destroying major terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and places on record its gratitude and appreciation for their relentless efforts in protecting the pride and dignity of the nation,' the resolution read. However, Mamata also came down heavily on the Union government for failing to pre-empt the terror strike in Pahalgam, not apprehending the perpetrators, missing the 'opportunity' to capture PoK, and failing to prevent Pakistan from getting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan. The BJP countered by pointing out that the term Operation Sindoor was conspicuously absent. Labelling it as an attempt to deliberately undermine the armed forces' operation, Leader of the Opposition, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari said, 'Why is there an objection to the word 'Sindoor' in the proposal? Why is the name missing?' Days before the resolution was passed, Trinamool MLA Narendranath Chakraborty from Pandaveswar in Paschim Bardhaman stirred controversy when he claimed that Operation Sindoor was a 'pre-planned drama, a game in the name of war.' Political observers have pointed out that the issue of conflict with Pakistan has repeatedly served the BJP well in both State and union elections; this time too, the saffron party intends to make full political use of the strikes against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. Veteran political observer Biswajit Bhattacharya noted, 'While the BJP hopes that Operation Sindoor will work as a key factor in the West Bengal election, its more immediate concern is the Bihar Assembly election. By raising the issue of Operation Sindoor so early in Bengal, the BJP is killing two birds with one stone—it is going for a head start in campaigning here, and it is also addressing the substantial number of voters from Bihar who work in Bengal and return to the State during elections. Also, conflict with Pakistan has played a key role in several of BJP's electoral triumphs—be it the Uri surgical strike in 2016 or the Balakot airstrike in 2019. However, in 2024, they did not get the same results with the Ram Mandir issue. So, the BJP is banking on Operation Sindoor this time.' Communal disharmony The BJP also hopes to capitalise on growing polarisation along communal lines, particularly after the flare-up in Murshidabad, where Hindus, who are a minority in the district, were attacked during anti-Waqf Act protests across the State. Calling Mamata's government a 'nirmamata' (lacking in sympathy) government, Modi said, 'In the name of appeasement, lawlessness was allowed free sway (in Murshidabad and Malda). Imagine the horror when members of the ruling party, including an MLA, identified and burned down houses of people and the police stood by watching… Can a government continue in this fashion?' Mamata stuck to her party's claim that the communal flare-up was the BJP's doing. 'What happened at Malda and Murshidabad was done by the BJP. The BJP is an expert in starting riots, and I can provide documentation and evidence of that. Bengal has a humane government, while Modi's is a corrupt government,' she said. However, a three-member fact-finding committee set up by the Calcutta High Court to investigate the Murshidabad riots mentioned in its report that local Trinamool leaders, including an MLA, were indeed present at the site of the violence. Also Read | BJP's Bengal blues According to psephologist Biswanath Chakraborty, though still quite early, the agenda for the coming election in Bengal has already been set. 'Modi has set the agenda for the 2026 Assembly election in the State. Alongside the issues of misgovernance and corruption, he has introduced two new aspects—the issue of nationalism, riding on Operation Sindoor; and the vision of Vikshit Bharat by 2047. The point he made was that when India is aiming to become a developed nation by 2047, West Bengal cannot afford to be left behind, and Mamata has failed to develop the State. At the same time, we can also expect that Hindutva politics will be projected in a huge way, particularly with reference to the Murshidabad riots,' he told Frontline. For all the issues at the BJP's disposal against the ruling party, the saffron party is still trailing a very distant second behind Trinamool when it comes to political influence in the State. Its organisation remains much to be desired, and even in its stronghold of north Bengal, it is losing ground. In fact, just two weeks before Modi's public rally in Alipurduar, former BJP MP and Union Minister John Barla, one of the most influential tribal leaders from the tea gardens of the region, joined Trinamool, claiming that the BJP had done little for the development of north Bengal. Moreover, even as Modi and Mamata exchange barbs, the argument that there exists a 'secret understanding' between the BJP at the Centre and its erstwhile ally, the Trinamool, continues to gain strength in the State. The apparent foot-dragging by central investigating agencies in probes against the Trinamool, and the latter's perceived cooperation with the Centre behind a mask of animosity in Parliament, are not the only justifications for such suspicion. A week before Modi visited the State, former BJP State president Tathagata Roy himself had hinted at the possibility of a 'setting' between the Centre and the State in a social media post. He had, of course, clarified that he was not 'certain' about the existence of such an understanding. The coming days may perhaps shed more light on it.
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Science at the core of Vikshit Bharat vision, says Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Global Young Scientists Summit
Science is regenerative and integral to the vision of Vikshit Bharat, and economic strength is complemented by scientific excellence, said Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan. Speaking at the inaugural of Global Young Scientists Summit here at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad on Tuesday, he said India is at the forefront of the global knowledge movement, with an education system that is flexible and aligned with its civilisational ethos. The vital components of this journey, he said, are cross-cultural learning and talent exchange. He said initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act reflect India's commitment to nurturing grassroots innovation and supporting high-quality interdisciplinary research. The Global Young Scientists annual general meeting, being hosted for the first time in the country, involves 135 delegates representing 60 countries and 65 national delegates, for in-depth dialogue and strategic engagement among emerging leaders in the global scientific community. The conference features sessions on environmental, social, and governance, health and nutrition for global wellness, Industry 5.0: augmenting human-machine interface, and innovation and entrepreneurship: global landscape. President of the Indian National Science Academy Asutosh Sharma observed that the future lies in autonomous decision making driven by the integration of both sciences and social sciences. He referred to 'March of Technology' and underlined the importance of a global understanding to address global challenges. Empowering the youth, he said, requires integrating aspirations into policy and practice. Global Young Academy (GYA) co-chair Yensi Flores Bueso explained the involvement of GYA in the international scientific domain and the activities being taken up to inculcate the values of leadership, network globally and capacity building.
The Print
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
PM asks states to remove policy bottlenecks, encourage investment, generate jobs
Prime Minister Modi, he said, also urged the states to focus on agriculture, education and healthcare. Briefing reporters about the 10th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said that everyone present at the meeting unanimously supported Operation Sindoor, undertaken by India to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan. New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the states and Union Territories to remove policy bottlenecks to encourage investment and generate employment as he stressed that if the Union government and states work together like Team India, no goal is impossible. The Prime Minister said that the 10-year journey of Niti Aayog was 'to prepare the nation to achieve the goal of Vikshit Bharat'. The theme of the Governing Council meeting was 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047'. The meeting was attended by 31 states and Union Territories of a total of 36, Subrahmanyam said, adding those who could not make it had prior commitments and informed the Council. The states which did not attend the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar and Puducherry, he said, adding the 10th meeting of the Council saw maximum attendance. 'We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all the States come together and work together like Team India, no goal is impossible,' Niti Aayog said in a post on X, quoting the Prime Minister as saying. 'Viksit Bharat is the goal of every Indian. When every state is Viksit, then Bharat will be Viksit. This is the aspiration of its 140 crore citizens,' Modi said. The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, and several Union ministers. Prime Minister Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog. 'We should have the aim of making each state viksit, each city viksit, each Nagar Palika viksit and each village viksit. If we work on these lines, we will not have to wait till 2047 to become Viksit Bharat,' Modi said. The prime minister also suggested that states should develop at least one tourist destination per state at par with global standards and provide all facilities and infrastructure. 'One State: One Global Destination. It would also lead to the development of the neighbouring cities as tourist places,' he said. Noting that India is getting rapidly urbanised, Modi said, 'We should work towards future-ready cities'. Growth, innovation and sustainability should be the engine for the development of India's cities, he added. Modi also emphasised the need to work towards the inclusion of women in the workforce. 'We must make laws and policies so that they can be respectfully integrated into the workforce,' he said. It is the first major meeting of the prime minister with the chief ministers of all states and the lieutenant governors of Union Territories after Operation Sindoor. PTI BKS BKS MR MR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
