ASER 2014 i

Provisional

January 13, 2015

Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2014

ii ASER 2014

What would happen if I didnt know how to read?Or do math?

ASER 2014 iii

They reached the remotest villages of India

ANDHRA PRADESHDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AnantapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChittoorDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Cuddapah (Y.S.R.)District Institute of Education and Training, East GodavariDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GunturDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KrishnaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KurnoolDistrict Institute of Education and Training, PrakasamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sri Potti Sriramulu NelloreDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SrikakulamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, VisakhapatnamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, VizianagaramDistrict Institute of Education and Training, West Godavari

ARUNACHAL PRADESHLocal Volunteers of Changlang, Dibang Valley, East Siang, Papum Pare, Tawang, Tirap, Upper Siang, West Kameng and West Siang

ASSAMCosmos Club, AbhayapuriDestiny, TinsukiaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BarpetaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, CacharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DarrangDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DhemajiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DhubriDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DibrugarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Dima HasaoDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GoalparaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GolaghatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HailakandiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JorhatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KamrupDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Karbi AnglongDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KarimganjDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KokrajharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, LakhimpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MorigaonDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NagaonDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NalbariDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SivasagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sonitpur

BIHARAll India Centre for Urban and Rural Development, SupaulDisha Vihar, MungerDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Babutola, BankaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Bikram, PatnaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Chhatauni, Motihari, Purba ChamparanDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Dighi, VaishaliDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Dumra, SitamarhiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Dumraon, BuxarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Farbisganj, ArariaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Fazalganj, Sasaram, RohtasDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Khirnighat, BhagalpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Kilaghat, DarbhangaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, LakhisaraiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MadhepuraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Mohania, KaimurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Muraul, Rambag, MuzaffarpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Narar, MadhubaniDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Noorsarai, NalandaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Panchayati Akhara, GayaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Piraunta, BhojpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Pusa, SamastipurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Ramganj, KhagariaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Shahpur, BegusaraiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SheoharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Shrinagar, PurniaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SiwanDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sonpur, SaranDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Tarar, Daudnagar, AurangabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Teekapatti, KatiharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Thave, GopalganjGovernment Teachers Training College, SaharsaNai Sambhavana, ArwalShiva Jan Vikash Foundation, Patna

Span International, PatnaThe Message Welfare Foundation, KishanganjVidyapati Jan Vikas Samiti, PatnaPratham Volunteers of Pashchim Champaran

CHHATTISGARHDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Khairagarh, RajnandgaonDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Pendra, BilaspurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BastarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DhamtariDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DurgDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Janjgir-ChampaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JashpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KabeerdhamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KorbaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MahasamundDistrict Institute of Education and Training, RaigarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, RaipurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Uttar Bastar KankerJeevan Jashoda Society, KoriyaSabri Sewa Sansthan Lakhanpur, SurgujaLocal Volunteers of Surguja

DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELICom. Godavari Shamrao Parulekar College, Talasari

DAMAN AND DIULocal Volunteers of Daman

GOA

Department of Social Work, Don Bosco Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research, Panaji

GUJARATDepartment of Social Work, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, AnandInnovative B.S.W. College, Khorasha (Gadu), JunagadhJ.B. Goriya Arts College, JamkhabhaliyaKrantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kachchh University, Bhuj, KachchhM.A. Parikh Fine Arts & Arts College, Palanpur, BanaskanthaMahila Samakhya, Ahwa, The DangsP.G. Centre of Social Work, Vivekanand Post Graduate Academy, BhavnagarSamajkarya Maha Vidhyalaya, Salal (Himatnagar), SabarkanthaSarvajanik B.S.W./M.S.W. College, MahesanaSheth P.T. Arts & Science College, GodhraShikshan Ane Samaj Kalyan Kendra, AmreliShree Saraswati College of Social Work, BharuchShree Surabhi M.S.W. College, RajkotSmt. Laxmiben & Shri Chimanlal Mehta Arts College, AhmadabadLocal Volunteers of Navsari and Valsad

HARYANADistrict Institute of Education and Training, AmbalaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Charkhi Dadri, BhiwaniDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Janauli, PalwalDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Pali, FaridabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Matana, FatehabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GurgaonDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Mattersham, HisarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Machhroli, JhajjarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Iccus, JindDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KaithalDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Shahpur, KarnalDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Palwal, KurukshetraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MahendragarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Malab, MewatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, PanchkulaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, PanipatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Hussainpur, RewariDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Madina, RohtakDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Ding, SirsaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SonipatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Tejli, Yamunanagar

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HIMACHAL PRADESHDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BilaspurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChambaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HamirpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KangraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KinnaurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KulluDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Lahul & SpitiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MandiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ShimlaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SirmaurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SolanDistrict Institute of Education and Training, UnaGovernment Degree College, Kukumseri (Udaipur), Lahul & SpitiRajni Gramin Vikas Sanstha, Palampur, Kangra

JAMMU AND KASHMIR17000 ft Foundation, LehGovernment Degree College, BadgamGovernment Degree College, GanderbalGovernment Degree College, KargilGovernment Degree College, PulwamaGovernment Degree College, PunchGovernment Degree College, RambanGovernment G.L. Dogra Memorial Degree College, Hiranagar, KathuaGovernment Maulana Azad Memorial College, JammuGovernment P.G. College, Bhaderwah, DodaGovernment P.G. College, RajouriNew Age College of Education and Research, Phinter (Billawar), KathuaRehmat-e-Alam College of Education, AnantnagSanctorium College of Education (StCE), LaladSheikh-ul-Alam College of Education, Kupwara

JHARKHANDAbhiyan Sahibganj, SahibganjBirsa College, SimdegaChetna Vikas, DeogharDr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Siksha Sansthan, DhanbadDridh Sankalp, JamtaraFoundation for Awareness Counselling and Education (FACE), PakurLife Education and Development Support (LEADS), RanchiLohardaga Gram Swarajya Sansthan, LohardagaLok Hit Sansthan (Simla Gandhi Ashram), Saraikela-KharsawanLok Prerna Kendra, ChatraMahila Samagra Utthan Samiti, PalamuMaskal Zila Saksharta Samiti, ChaibasaNav Bharat Jagriti Kendra (NBJK), HazaribaghPrerna, GarhwaRural Outright Development Society, Purbi SinghbhumSahyogini, BokaroSamajik Parivartan Sansthan, GiridihSanthal Pargana Gram Rachna Sansthan, GoddaSREYA, DumkaVeer Jharkhand Vikas Seva Manch, KodarmaVikas Bharti Bishunpur

KARNATAKAAa Foundation for Community Development, BangaloreAarya Pratisthana, UdupiAkshara Foundation, BangaloreAssociation for Socio-Educational Management and Initiatives, DharwadBIRDS, MandyaCentre for Rural Studies, Manipal University, Manipal, UdupiCREATIVE TRUST, Uttara KannadaEMBARK Youth Association, KodaguFRIENDS, Kittali (Badami), BagalkotGovernment Junior College, Virajapete, KodaguGurushree College of Commerce and Social Work, TumkurHARSHITHA ALUR YOJANA, HassanHindulida Guddagaadu Janara Vikasa Sangha, Uttara KannadaHyderabad Karnataka Education and Rural Development Trust, RaichurJanasamsthana, Molakalmuru, ChitradurgaKaranji Trust, ChamarajanagarNavachetana Rural Development Society, Attikatti, GadagNavodaya Educational and Environment Development Service (NEEDS), Ranebenur, HaveriPADI - Value Oriented Education Program (VALORED), Dakshina KannadaPARIVARTHAN, ChikmagalurPeople Organisation for Waste Land and Environment Regeneration (POWER), Bijapur

Pragathi Urban and Rural Development Seva Society, Ghataprabha, BelgaumSajjalshri SKA and GAS, Lingasguru, RaichurSAMRUDDHI, RaichurSarvodaya Integrated Rural Development Society, KoppalShanti Integrated Rural and Urban Development Society, Basavakalyan, BidarSpoorthi Samsthe, DavanagereYashaswi Swayam Seva Samsthe, Bangalore RuralPratham volunteers of Mysore

KERALAKerala State Youth Welfare Board, IdukkiNehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Thiruvananthapuram

MADHYA PRADESHAdivasi Chetna Shikshan Seva Samiti, JhabuaAhimsa Welfare Society, RajgarhAvad Social Welfare Society, IndoreBal-Mahila Vikas Samiti (VAMA), DatiaBal-Mahila Vikas Samiti (VAMA), GwaliorCentre of Discovery for Village Development, MandlaDarshna Mahila Kalyan Samiti, ChhattarpurDashpur Sarvodaya Vikas Sanstha Samiti, MandsaurDharti Gramotthan evam Sahbhagi Gramin Vikas Samiti, MorenaDr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Seva Parishad, BhindGram Seva Trust, Paraswada, BalaghatGramin Swavlamban Samiti, TikamgarhJai Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, BetulJan Sansadhan Vikas Avom Jeev Kalyan Samiti, NarsimhapurKalptaru Vikas Samiti, GunaKalyani Welfare Society, UmariaKameshwari Shiksha Evam Samajsewa Samiti, BarwaniKrantanjali Social and Educational Welfare Association, NeemuchLokrang Samajik Shodh Vikash Sansthan, Khandwa (East Nimar)Maa Pitambara Lokhit Sewa Sansthan, DewasManav Foundation, SheopurManav Jeevan Vikas Samiti, KatniNarmada Samaj Kalyan Samiti, ShivpuriNarmadanchal Education and Welfare Society (NEWS), JabalpurNarmadapur Shiksha Avam Jankalyan Samiti, HoshangabadNav Jyoti Shiksha Samiti, ChhindwaraNavjyoti Sewa Sansthan, Khargone (West Nimar)Omkar Krishak Avam Samaj Kalyan Samiti, SidhiP.R.S. Welfare Society, SagarPath Pragati Samaj Kalyan Samiti, ShahdolPrakash Yuva Mandal Itaura Samiti, RewaRang Welfare Society, DamohRICHERD Sansthan, PannaSahara Saksharta Educational and Social Welfare Society, BhopalSankalp Samajik Vikas Sansthan, ShivpuriSaress Welfare Society, SeoniShakti Organisation, DharShardanand Education and Welfare Association, RatlamShardanand Education and Welfare Association, UjjainShiva Gramin Vikas Sansthan (SRDIM), SatnaSocial Advancement and Resource Foundation (SARF), VidishaSwami Vivekanand Shiksha Samiti (SVSS), SehoreSynergy Sansthan, HardaThe Kanchan Welfare and Education Society, ShajapurUdit Prakash Yuva Samarpan Samiti, DindoriPratham Volunteers of Raisen

MAHARASHTRAAnarya Rural Development Academy, ParbhaniAvhan Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha, AkotBhausaheb Nene College of Arts, Science & Commerce, PenCentre for Social Studies and Research, SangliD.Y. Patil University School of Education, Navi MumbaiDepartment of Communication Studies, New Arts, Commerce and Science College, AhmadnagarDepartment of Mass Communication & Journalism, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, AurangabadDepartment of Mass Communication, Solapur University, SolapurDhananjayrao Gadgil College of Commerce, SataraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SindhudurgDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar College of Social Work, MoraneFule Ambedkar College of Social Work, GadchiroliInstitute for Rural Development and Social Services, JalgaonJagar Foundation, KhamgaonK.T. Patil Adhyapak Mahavidyalaya, OsmanabadManavlok College of Social Science, Ambajogai

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Navnirman College, RatnagiriPrahar Samajik Kalyankari Sanstha, Goregaon, GondiyaPurushottam Thote College of Social Work, NagpurRajmata Jijau Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha, JalnaSamajik Sahayata Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha, Talegaon, WardhaSanchar Infotech Foundation, NashikSankalp Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha, Ralegaon, YavatmalSant Gadgebaba Gram Vikas Pratishthan, Bhingi, HingoliSant. Ravidas Bahuuddeshiya Shikshan Sanstha, AmravatiSavitri College of Social Work, YavatmalShri Gurudev Sevashram Samiti, Karanja, WashimSuprabhat Mahila Mandal, PuneWanchit Vikas Loksanstha, NandedYashwantrao Chavan Institute of Science, SataraYashwantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, KolhapurVolunteers from Pratham Arora Centre for Excellence, LaturVolunteers from Pratham Upper Primary Team, Nandurbar

MANIPURChingri Society, UkhrulInternational Ministry Centre, Sagang, ChurachandpurJustice, Unity, Peace and Security Organisation, Shikhong Bazar, ThoubalKangchup Twikun Youth Organisation, Kangchup Twikun, SenapatiKomlathabi Development Club, Komlathabi, ChandelNetwork of Economy and Welfare Service, Kumbi, BishnupurRural Intitiative for Sustainability and Empowerment, TamenglongThe Youth Goodwill Association, Uripok, Imphal West

MEGHALAYACapt. Williamson Memorial Government College, BaghmaraMartin Luther Christian University (Shillong Campus), East Khasi HillsThomas Jones Synod College, Jowai, Jaintia HillsTura Government College Student Union, TuraWilliamnagar Government College Student Union, WilliamnagarLocal Volunteers of Ri Bhoi and West Khasi Hills

MIZORAMHmar Students Association, Kolasib Joint Headquarter, KolasibHmar Students Association, Sinlung Hills Joint Headquarter, SakawrdaiMizo Students Union, Mauchar Branch, AizawlParam, SaihaLocal Volunteers of Lunglei and Serchhip

NAGALANDConfederation of Chang Students Union, TuensangNanglang Comprehensive Society, LonglengPeoples Agency for Development, PerenZunheboto Range Students Union, ZunhebotoLocal Volunteers of Dimapur, Kiphire, Kohima, Mokochung, Mon, Phek and Wokha

ODISHAAbha Mahila Mandal, CuttackAOMAA, MalkangiriAssociation to Inspirit the Distress, JharsugudaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AnugulDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BalangirDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BaleshwarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BargarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BhadrakDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Bissam Cuttack, RayagadaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DhenkanalDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GajapatiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GanjamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JagatsinghapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JajapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KalahandiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KandhamalDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KendujharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KhordhaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NabarangapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NayagarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SambalpurDistrict Resource Center, BaudhDistrict Resource Center, DebagarhDistrict Resource Center, JharsugudaDistrict Resource Center, NuapadaRural Educational and Charitable Trust, Subarnapur

SIPHAE, BalasoreUtsharga, JagatsinghpurWorld Odisha Techno Services, Cuttack

PUDUCHERRYNew Life District Differently abled People Federation, Viluppuram

PUNJABAdesh Institute of Engineering & Technology (AIET), Sadiq Road, FaridkotAkal College of Pharmacy & Technical Education, Mastuana Sahib, SangrurBeant College of Engineering & Technology, GurdaspurBharat Institute of Engineering & Technology, Sardulgarh, MansaCT Institute of Engineering, Management & Technology, Shahpur, JalandharD.M. College of Education, MogaGiani Zail Singh College of Engineering & Technology, Dabwali Road, BathindaInstitute of Engineering & Technology, Bhaddal (Mianpur), Rupnagar (Ropar)Khalsa College of Education, MuktsarRamgarhia Institute of Engineering & Technology (RIET), Phagwara, KapurthalaRayat Institute of Management, Rail Majra, Balachaur, Nawashaher (SBS Nagar)Rayat-Bahra Institute of Engineering & Nano-Technology, Bohan, HoshiarpurRIMT-IET, Mandi Gobindgarh, Fatehgarh SahibSchool of Social Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, AmritsarShaheed Bhagat Singh College of Education, Patti, Tarn TaranShaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering & Technology, Moga Road, FirozpurSwami Parmanand College of Engineering & Technology, Jaulan Kalan (Lalru), Mohali (SAS Nagar)Local Volunteers of Ludhiana

RAJASTHANBhagwati Teacher Training College, Gangapurcity, Sawai MadhopurCentral University of Rajasthan, AjmerDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AlwarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BanswaraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BaranDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BharatpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BhilwaraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BikanerDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BundiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChittaurgarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChuruDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DausaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DhaulpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GanganagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HanumangarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JaipurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JaisalmerDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JalorDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JhalawarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JhunjhununDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JodhpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KarauliDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KotaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NagaurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, RajsamandDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sawai MadhopurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SikarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SirohiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, TonkDistrict Institute of Education and Training, UdaipurEducate Girls Globally, PaliRaj Nobels Degree College, DungarpurSociety to Uplift Rural Economy (SURE), Barmer

SIKKIMGyalshing Government College, Gyalshing, West SikkimNamchi Government College, Upper Kamrang, South SikkimRhenock Government College, Rhenock, East SikkimTadong Government College, Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim

TAMIL NADUAssociation of Rural Education and Development Service (AREDS), KarurCentre for Education and Empowerment of the Marginalized (CEEMA), ErodeCoimbatore Multipurpose Social Service Society (CMSSS), CoimbatoreDeepam Rural Development Centre, ThiruvarurDepartment of Social Work, Don Bosco College, DharmapuriDepartment of Social Work, Loyola College, ChennaiGramavalarchi, Kancheepuram

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Gramodhaya Social Service Society, TirunelveliInstitute of Human Rights Education (IHRE), MaduraiJeeva Anbalayam Trust, TiruchirappalliKuzhithurai Integral Development Social Service (KIDSS), KanniyakumariLEAF Society, NamakkalMadurai Multipurpose Social Service Society (MMSSS), MaduraiMAKE Trust, TrichyManitham Charitable Trust, SivagangaNew Life District Differently abled People Federation, ViluppuramPerambalur Social Service Society (PSSS), PerumbalurProvide Charitable Trust, CuddalorePudukottai Multipurpose Social Service Society (PMSSS), PudukkottaiRaise India Trust, RamanathapuramReach Trust, SivagangaRural People Welfare Trust, CoimbatoreRural Women Development Trust (RWDT), SalemSadayanodai Ilaignar Narpani Mandram (SINAM), TiruvannamalaiSociety for Development of Economically Weaker Section (SODEWS), VelloreThanjavur Multipurpose Social Service Society (TMSSS), ThanjavurTuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society (TMSSS), ThoothukkudiWomen Educational Development Social Service Trust (WEDSS), Thanjavur

TELANGANADistrict Institute of Education and Training, AdilabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KarimnagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KhammamDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MahbubnagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MedakDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NalgondaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, NizamabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, RangareddyDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Warangal

TRIPURAChetana Social Organisation, Kolai, DhalaiKasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, Durga Chowdhury Para, West TripuraOrganisation for Rural Survival, BeloniaSanghadip, Dharmanagar, North Tripura

UTTAR PRADESHDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AgraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AligarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AllahabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Ambedkar NagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AuraiyaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, AzamgarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BaghpatDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BahraichDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BalliaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BalrampurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BandaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BarabankiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BareillyDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BastiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BijnorDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BudaunDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BulandshaharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChandauliDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ChitrakootDistrict Institute of Education and Training, DeoriaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, EtahDistrict Institute of Education and Training, EtawahDistrict Institute of Education and Training, FaizabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, FarrukhabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, FatehpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, FirozabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Gautam Buddha NagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GhaziabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GhazipurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GondaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, GorakhpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HamirpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HardoiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Hathras (Mahamaya Nagar)District Institute of Education and Training, JalaunDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JaunpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JhansiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Jyotiba Phule NagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KannaujDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Kanpur Dehat

District Institute of Education and Training, KaushambiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KheriDistrict Institute of Education and Training, KushinagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, LalitpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, LucknowDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MahobaDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MahrajganjDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MainpuriDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MathuraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MauDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MeerutDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MirzapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MoradabadDistrict Institute of Education and Training, MuzaffarnagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, PilibhitDistrict Institute of Education and Training, PratapgarhDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Rae BareliDistrict Institute of Education and Training, RampurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SaharanpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sant Kabir NagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi)District Institute of Education and Training, ShahjahanpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, ShrawastiDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Siddharth NagarDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SitapurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SonbhadraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, SultanpurDistrict Institute of Education and Training, UnnaoDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Varanasi

UTTARAKHANDDev Bhoomi Institute of Pharmacy & Research (DBIPR), DehradunDr. B. Gopal Reddy Campus, Pauri GarhwalGovernment Degree College, BarkotGovernment Degree College, Bhikiyasen, AlmoraGovernment Degree College, GangolihatGovernment Degree College, KapkotGovernment Girls Degree College, HaldwaniGovernment P.G. College, ChampawatGovernment P.G. College, LansdowneGovernment Polytechnic College, KashipurGovernment Polytechnic Shaktifarm, SitarganjGovernment Polytechnic, GaucharKanhaiya Lal Polytechnic College, RoorkeeLaxman Singh Mahar P.G. College, PithoragarhLilavati Pant Rajkiya Inter College, BhimtalShri Ram Chandra Uniyal Government P.G. College, UttarkashiSoban Singh Jeena Campus College, AlmoraSwami Ramtirth P.G. College, Tehri GarhwalSwami Vivekanand Government P.G. College, LohaghatVictor Mohan Joshi Government Inter College, BageshwarPratham Volunteers of Rudraprayag

WEST BENGALDakshin Dinajpur Foundation for Rural Integration Economic and Nature Development (FRIEND), Dakshin DinajpurDepartment of History, Berhampore Krishnath College, MurshidabadDepartment of Sociology, Bankura Christian College, BankuraDistrict Institute of Education and Training, BurdwanDistrict Institute of Education and Training, HugliDistrict Institute of Education and Training, JalpaiguriDistrict Institute of Education and Training, Koch BiharDistrict Institute of Education and Training, North Twenty Four ParganasDistrict Institute of Education and Training, South Twenty Four ParganasIswarchandra Memorial Education Society, Daspur, Paschim MedinipurKajla Janakalyan Samity, Purba MedinipurNCC Unit and Department of Bengali, Parimal Mitra Smriti Mahavidyalaya, JalpaiguriNCC Unit, Mathabhanga College, Koch BiharNSS Unit, Bagnan College, HaoraNSS Unit, Gour Mahavidyalaya, MaldahNSS Unit, Jagannath Kishore College, PuruliyaNSS Unit, Raiganj University College, Uttar DinajpurNSS Unit, Turku Hansda Lapsa Hembrom Mahavidyalaya, BirbhumNSS Unit, University of Kalyani, NadiaSiliguri Government College, DarjilingSt. Joseph College, Darjiling

viii ASER 2014

Asha Kamaraj, Vetri Institute of Catering & Para medical Center, Pudukkotai, Tamil NaduAshok Sharma, Director, Department of Elementary Education, Government of Himachal PradeshBelina, Thoothukkudi, Tamil NaduBhargab Choudhury, Bongaigaon, AssamBhim Singh, Collector and District Magistrate, Dhamtari, ChhattisgarhBhupen Sut, Secretary, Social Unity Keeper Association for All, AssamBijaya Deka, Head of Department, Education, JN College, Boko, AssamChandrapal Singh, Assistant Deputy Director, SCERT, Uttar PradeshChokku R, State Coordinator, Social Audit Program, IHRE, Peoples Watch, Madurai, Tamil NaduDaya Kishan Pandey, Almora, UttarakhandDhiren Vagadia, Director, Shikshan Ane Samaj Kalyan Kendra, Amreli, GujaratDr. A. K. Sharma, Head of Department, Social Work, Institute of Advance Studies in Education, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya PradeshDr. Achom Darshan Singh, Research Associate, Faculty of Life Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal PradeshDr. Amina Quary, Principal, Government Degree College, Kargil, Jammu and KashmirDr. Chanda Roy, Director, SCERT, West BengalDr. Ganeshwar Saharia, Chairman, State Resource Centre, AssamDr. Jacob Thudipara, Principal, Indore School of Social Work (ISSW), Indore, Madhya PradeshDr. Jagdish Jadhav, Head of Department, Social Work, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, RajasthanDr. Jagmeet Bawa, Programme Coordinator, NSS, Punjab Technical Universiy, Jalandhar, PunjabDr. Kamal Manohar Sharma, Programme Coordinator, NSS, Himachal Pradesh Univeristy, Summer Hill, Shimla, Himachal PradeshDr. M. Sudhish, Assistant Director, State Project Office, SSA, ChhattisgarhDr. Meena Sharma, (Retd.) Additional Project Director, SSA, Uttar PradeshDr. Melari Nongrum, Head of Department, Social Work, Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong, MeghalayaDr. Loknath Sarma, Director, SCERT, AssamDr. Muzammal Hussain, Programme Coordinator, NSS, MAM College, Jammu, Jammu and KashmirDr. Neelam Nigam, Head of Department, Social Work, Rajeev Gandhi College, Bhopal, Madhya PradeshDr. Qazi Ahmadullah, Principal, Rehmat-E-Alam College of Education, Anantnag, Jammu and KashmirDr. R.K. Raina, Principal, Government PG College, Bhaderwah, Doda, Jammu and KashmirDr. Ravindra Bhaskarrao Chincholkar, Head of Department, Mass Communication, Solapur University, Solapur, MaharashtraDr. Sarita, Principal, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Education, Patti, Tarn Taran, PunjabDr. Shah-e-Jahan Ahmed Ganai, Senior Assistant Professor of English, Governnment Degree College, Ramban, Jammu and KashmirDr. Showrish Kudkuli, Managing Trustee, Aarya Pratisthana, KarnatakaDr. Somashekar M T, Head of Department, PG Department of Social Work, JSS College, Ooty Road, Mysore, KarnatakaDr. Subhas Kaushik, Academic Officer, Rajasthan Council of Elementary EducationDr. Subhash Chandra Jha, Principal, District Institute of Education and Training, Dharbhanga, BiharDr. Sudip Kanta Basistha, NE Coordinator, Foundation for Ecological Security, AssamDr. Vasantrao Bira Jugale, Director (Research and Education), Yashvantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, MaharashtraDr. Vinit Vishnoi, District Coordinator, NSS, Dehradun, UttarakhandGhanshyam Chand, State Project Director, SSA, Himachal PradeshHira Lal Gupta, Secretary, Department of Basic Education, Uttar PradeshJayanta Thakuria, Deputy Director, SCERT, AssamJitendra Kumar, Secretary, Socio-Economic & Health Development Organisation, AssamK Narayana Reddy, Lecturer, SCERT, TelanganaK.B. Kothari, Managing Trustee, Pratham Rajasthan

Kanaklata Rana, District Coordinator, Mahila Samakhya, Ahwa, The Dangs, GujaratKhageswar Nayak, Principal, District Institute of Education and Training, Bhadrak, OdishaKhirodh Chandra Behera, Principal, Radhanath Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Cuttack, OdishaDr. Loknath Sarma, Director, SCERT, AssamLuit Gogoi, Dibrugarh, AssamM Sadacharavel, Zonal Director, Kerala Zone, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, KeralaM. Kamaraj, Mahatma Vocational Training Center, Thanjavur, Tamil NaduManjula Sharma, Teacher Training Incharge (State), SSA, Himachal PradeshManjunatha B G, Research Fellow, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, KarnatakaManoj Kaushik, Teacher Educator, SCERT, HaryanaMd. Umar Ali, Guwahati, AssamMinaketan Das, Teacher Educator, District Institute of Education and Training, Kalahandi, OdishaMohan R, Principal, Government PU College, Virajapet, KarnatakaN. Mohendro Singh, Chief Advisor, Manipur State Panchayat Parishad, ManipurNagaraj Dindur, KLP Coordinator, Akshara Foundation, KarnatakaNeeraj Trivedi, Harvard Kennedy School of GovernmentNikunj Prakash Narayan, Deputy Director, Research and Training, Department of Education, Government of BiharPalaniammal, IHRE, Peoples Watch, Madurai, Tamil NaduParasnath Rajwade, Cluster Leader, Literacy Mission, Raipur, ChhattisgarhPradeep Kumar Patnaik, Regional Coordinator, NSS, Government of West BengalPrasana Kumar Sahu, Vice Principal, District Resource Centre, Nuapada, OdishaPremananda Biswal, Assistant Director, Teacher Education and SCERT, OdishaProf. Mairembam Stelin Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal PradeshProf. Nasreen Malik, Principal, Government Degree College, Ganderbal, Jammu and KashmirProf. Prasanta Kumar Ghosh, Head of Department, Social Work, Visva- Bharati University, Birbhum, West BengalProf. Rita Srivastav, Research Professor, SCERT, Uttar PradeshProf. Rupa Biswas, Department of Social Work, Bankura University, Bankura, West BengalProf. Upasna Tyagi, Head of Department, Management, Modi Institute of Management and Technology, Kota, RajasthanProf. Uttam Meena, Professor, Department of Social Work, Future Vision College, Vikram University, Ujjain, Madhya PradeshProf. Vijaya Rani Dhaundhyal, Soban Singh Jeena University Campus, Kumaon University, Almora, UttarakhandPushpendra Pratap Singh, Teacher, Government Primary School, Bhatapara, ChhattisgarhR.C. Dimiri, State Liaison Officer, NSS, UttarakhandRevathi Banerjee, Outreach Coordinator, Thoughtshop Foundation, Kolkata, West BengalRebati Mohan Kakati, SPO, TT Component, SSA, AssamRohan Subramanian, Intern, ASER Centre, DelhiSanjay Kumar Thakur, Principal, Primary Teacher Education College, Surhattha, Vaishali, BiharSanjeev Kumar Vishvas, Regional Manager, Tally Champs Technology Services Pvt. LtdSaritha Suresh, Outline Designing and Printing, Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaSarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh, Director, SCERT, Uttar PradeshShreedhar, Associate Professor, BT Chanaiah Gowramma Government First Grade College, Somavarpete, KarnatakaSnehlata Ahlawat, Director, SCERT, HaryanaUsha Rani, Director, Research and Training, SSA, Andhra PradeshVaijayanti K, Head, Research, Resources and Evaluation, Akshara Foundation, Karnataka

A very big and heartfelt thanks to Pratham state heads, Pratham accountants, Pratham state teams, all Master Trainers and all volunteerswithout whose hard work and dedication ASER 2014 would not have been possible. And finally, thanks to each and every child whointeracted with us.

ASER 2014 ix

Co List of partner institutions ............................................................................................................................................. iii

Supporters of ASER 2014 ............................................................................................................................................. vii

1. Notes

Looking back and looking ahead ......................................................... Madhav Chavan .............................................. 1

Turning a condition into a problem: ASERs successful first ten years .... Lant Pritchett .................................................. 5

Bringing the education administration back in to the classroom............ Yamini Aiyar ..................................................... 7

ASER 2014 Looking back .................................................................. Amit Kaushik ................................................... 9

Ten years of ASER ............................................................................... M R Madhavan .............................................. 11

Can we fix the persisting crisis of learning? .......................................... Vimala Ramachandran ................................... 13

The ASER of public finance .............................................................. Anit Mukherjee ............................................. 15

Do private tuitions improve learning outcomes? ................................... Ambrish Dongre ............................................. 17

Government vs private schools: Have things changed? ......................... Wilima Wadhwa ............................................. 19

Links between reading and other skills: What does ASER tell us? ......... Ashok Mutum, Savitri Bobde, Ketan Verma ... 22

The gap years ...................................................................................... Rukmini Banerji .............................................. 26

2. About the Survey and Frequently Asked Questions

The why, what and how of ASER ................................................................................................................................ 30

Overview of the ASER survey process ......................................................................................................................... 36

Sample ASER formats ................................................................................................................................................. 37

What to do in a village? .............................................................................................................................................. 46

What to do in each hamlet/section? ............................................................................................................................ 47

How to sample households in a hamlet? ..................................................................................................................... 48

What to do in each household? .................................................................................................................................. 49

ASER 2014 - Reading tasks ......................................................................................................................................... 52

How to test reading? .................................................................................................................................................. 53

ASER 2014 - Arithmetic tasks ...................................................................................................................................... 54

How to test arithmetic? .............................................................................................................................................. 55

ASER 2014 - English tasks ........................................................................................................................................... 56

How to test English? ................................................................................................................................................... 57

What to do in a school? .............................................................................................................................................. 59

ASER 2014 - Training .................................................................................................................................................. 63

ASER 2014 - Monitoring & Recheck ............................................................................................................................ 65

From 2005 to 2014: Evolution of ASER ........................................................................................................................ 66

Frequently asked questions about ASER ...................................................................................................................... 68

3. Maps

Partner institutions ...................................................................................................................................................... 78

Enrollment in private schools ....................................................................................................................................... 79

Std V Reading ............................................................................................................................................................. 80

Std V Arithmetic ......................................................................................................................................................... 80

Contents

x ASER 2014

4. ASER 2014 (Rural) Findings ......................................................................................................................................... 81

5. India .............................................................................................................................................................................. 85

6. Andhra Pradesh + Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar ............................. 99

7. Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand ......................................... 129

8. Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram ............................................. 167

9. Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim ......................................................................................................... 211

10. Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal ............................................................................. 243

11. Divisional Estimates

Divisional estimates of learning outcomes and schooling status: precision of ASER estimates ... Wilima Wadhwa ....... 275

Divisional estimates for states .................................................................................................................................... 279

12. Annexures

Sample description .................................................................................................................................................... 306

Village infrastructure and household characteristics .................................................................................................. 307

Age-class composition of children in sample 2014 ...................................................................................................... 308

Sample design of rural ASER 2014 ....................................................... Wilima Wadhwa ........................................... 313

Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) and National Achievement Surveys (NAS): A Comparison ......................... 316

ASER 2014 xi

Notes

ASER 2014 1

Looking back and looking ahead

Madhav Chavan1

This tenth ASER is in a way summary of what we have observed over the tenures of UPA I and II. It is also abaseline for the new government and what it has to deal with.

So, what did happen over the last ten years? The Parliament had unanimously passed the Constitutional amendmentto make education a fundamental right under the NDA government. The government changed in 2004 and oneof the first steps of the new Prime Minister was to declare imposition of a 2% cess to raise additional funds forelementary education. Subsequently a non-lapsable Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh was created to ensure that theincome from the cess did not get used for anything but elementary education. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan that hadstarted under NDA was continued with substantial increases in funding every year as the income from the cessgrew with increasing wealth in India. Although there were many competing demands from other social sectorschemes, the funds available for elementary education increased substantially.

In 2005, when the first ASER survey was conducted, 93.4% 6 to 14 year olds were found to be enrolled inschools. The 2005 ASER also reported that the proportion of Std 4 children who could read a Std 2 text was47%.

Looking at those figures it seemed pretty clear to us that improving basic learning achievements in reading,writing, and math was the main big challenge before India. There was no disagreement about improving thequality of learning but the question was how. The education establishment led by NCERT rejected our assessmentmethod and our suggestions for improving basic learning achievement as minimalist. Its own holistic NationalCurriculum Framework was ready and from here on the Ministry of Human Resource Development left thequality aspects to the NCERT while the administration itself focused its annual work plans on building schools,hiring teachers and creating other facilities. NCF2005 did not go too far beyond creation of textbooks, althoughit must be admitted they are good. A Reading Cell created within NCERT made no impact on children's readingin any state and year after year ASER kept on reporting that basic learning levels were low. Just when it seemedlike the ASER results were getting repetitive, the Right to Education Act was passed (in 2009) and suddenlythings began to change. In ASER 2010 we first noticed that the proportion of children in private schools wasgrowing and learning levels had begun to decline. But the Ministry of Human Resource Development officiallyneither recognized ASER nor did it accept its findings as far as learning levels were concerned. Over the last twoyears it has been claiming that learning levels have improved marginally although they are low.

Well into the second decade of this century, the Ministry of Human Resource Development did not really takeinterest in learning achievements. Its sole focus was on provisions, inputs and infrastructure. The thinking seemedimplicitly linear; first all infrastructure needs have to be taken care of and then quality issues can be addressed.Unfortunately, in states where infrastructure issues were not severe, there too states followed the MHRD cueand did nothing significant about basic learning levels.

It is quite clear that SSA was really designed to take care of infrastructure and little else. How far did the strategyof focusing on infrastructure succeed in its goals?

On November 24, 2014, Mr. C.P. Narayanan, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, asked a set of questions.The first three out of five were: "(a) whether all the children in the age group of 6 to 14 years in the country areenrolled in schools; (b) how many of them are able to avail free educational facilities extended by Government;(c) whether there are sufficient Government schools in all the States to cater to them".

The response from the Minister for Human Resource Development is recorded as, "The census 2011 estimated20.78 crore children in the 6-13 age group. In 2013-14 enrolment in elementary schools was 19.89 crorechildren in 14.49 lakh elementary schools, including 13.79 lakh government and government aided schoolsproviding free education." Clearly, the government has avoided answering part (b) specifically and implied that

1 CEO-President, Pratham Education Foundation

2 ASER 2014

children in 13.79 lakh or 95% of the schools are getting free education. But, it appears that the number 13.79lakh government and aided schools is incorrect. According to the government's own DISE 2013-14, the numberwould be 10.94 lakh government schools + 60,000 aided schools, or about 11.5 lakh schools run or aided bygovernments.

The correct answer, based on DISE 2013-14, to sub question (b) would be that out of 19.89 crore childrenenrolled in elementary schools, 12.1 crore were in government schools and 1.1 crore in aided schools. Thus 13.2crore children receive free education and the remaining approximately 6.7 crore (34%) children rich or poor payfor their education (of these about 47 lakh go to unrecognized schools).

The private sector is no more just a small group of education providers. According to DISE, 39% of India's urbanand rural children go to private schools (ASER 2014 estimates that 31% of rural children go to private schools)including government aided schools. If you add to this number, government school children who go to privatetutors, especially in the eastern states of India, the proportion of children accessing private schooling or tutoringinputs will rise to just under 50%.

Many Members of Parliament have been raising questions about schooling and education. The responses fromthe government often do not present a picture that will make sense in the spirit of the question. Perhaps it istime the government came out with a full statement about what it perceives as the four or five key issues inelementary education and how it expects to address them.

Responding to another question in Lok Sabha on November 26, 2014 from Mr. Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu andothers about plans to provide schools, the government said that it has sanctioned 2.04 lakh primary schools and1.59 lakh upper primary schools around the country since 2002. Published DISE results say that until October2013, 1.62 lakh primary schools and 77,000 upper primary schools have been built since 2002.

In yet another response to a question by Mr. Rahul Kaswan in the Lok Sabha on July 16, 2014 about learningachievements, the government states: "The reasons for low-level achievement include, inter-alia, the non-availability of professionally trained teachers and adverse Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTR) at the school level." Howplausible is this explanation? DISE data indicate that between 2006-07 and 2013-14, there was a net increaseof 10 lakh government school teachers over and above the previously existing 36 lakh primary and upperprimary teachers. So, we have 3.63 lakh new schools sanctioned and 10 lakh new teachers.

So, how adverse is the Pupil Teacher Ratio at this point?

Nationally, DISE reports that PTR has dropped from 36 children per teacher in 2005 to 25 children per teacher in2013 in primary schools. In upper primary schools, the PTR has dropped from 39 in 2005 to 17 in 2013.

Excepting Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where PTRs for primary and upper primary are reported to be 38 and 23, and41 and 34 respectively, every other state has achieved an extremely favorable PTR. The hilly states have oneteacher for less than 15 or in some cases 10 children. School by school there may be variations in the pupil-teacher ratios. But that is a problem for the administration to solve - to ensure that these teachers are properlydistributed across schools.

So in reviewing the evidence, it is clear that the Ministry of Human Resource Development and SSA, and stategovernments have done rather well in providing key inputs, building infrastructure and hiring teachers. Theyfocused on it and achieved it.

But the paradox of the last ten years is that while governments spent money on building schools and hiringteachers by the lakhs, and also provided free textbooks, uniforms, and mid-day meals, the net enrollment ingovernment schools went down and enrollment in private schools went up sharply, especially in the primarystage. Between 2007 and 2013, according to DISE, total enrollment in primary schools peaked in 2011 at 137million while the upper primary enrollment has grown from 51 million to about 67 million. During this periodenrollment in government schools (Std. 1-8) declined by about 11.7 million, from 133.7 million to 121 million. Incontrast, the enrollment in private schools went up by 27 million, from 51 million to 78 million.

ASER 2014 3

There could be several reasons for why parents have been choosing private schools over government schools inspite of free textbooks, uniforms, mid-day meals but the government has certainly contributed to this change ina big way by neglecting to act on poor learning levels.

In 2012 the Planning Commission emphasized learning outcomes and things began to change again. TheMinistry of Human Resource Development started talking about learning achievements and NCERT seems tohave fallen in line although their reports in the published National Assessment Survey are as opaque as beforeand only intelligible to experts.

This is the scenario when the new government has taken over. The question again is, what will be the strategyof the new government? The Prime Minister has already declared a goal for toilets in every school. According toASER 2014, only 6% government schools do not have toilets but an additional 28.5% do not have toilets thatare usable. 18.8% Schools do not have girls' toilets and 26% have girls' toilets that are not usable or werelocked. So, meeting this target should be relatively simple given the Prime Minister's national level high profilethrust.

On the learning achievement side, the new government has continued the policy of focus on learning achievementsbut the problem again is one of the strategy. Will it again have a linear thrust? The Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharatsub-scheme of SSA has set an outcome goal of 85% children in Std 1 and 2 reaching specified learning indicatorsin 2016-17. That is two academic years from now. Building the basic foundations well is laudable but what aboutthe older children who have big deficits in basic skills? Is there a good reason why basic learning achievementsshould not be stressed at higher standards simultaneously?

Currently, in most states, teachers who teach Std 3 to 8 have no clearly stated or focused learning goals toachieve except completing the syllabus. The Right to Education Act, if anyone wants to take it seriously, says itis the duty of the teachers to assess each child's learning ability and provide additional instruction as required. Italso says that an out of school child who is enrolled directly to her age-appropriate grade has a right to specialtraining to be "on par" with other children in the class. The assumption in writing the law was that all childrenin school have achieved grade level abilities and that out of school children joining these classes will have tocatch up. The problem is that the grade-level capabilities are not defined in a measurable way and it is obviouslooking at ASER or even NAS results that all children are not at the same level. In fact they are well below whatwould be expected of them. The government has admitted several times that learning levels are low but thereis no measure of how low compared to any set standard. But the idea is quite clear: that those who lag behindhave a right to be helped to catch up.

Is it the Ministry's view that the children in higher grades can read and comprehend what they read? Thehumiliation of Himachal and Tamil Nadu standing 72nd and 73rd in PISA among 74 participants, higher onlythan Kyrgyzstan cannot be forgotten no matter what excuses NCERT came up with.

4 ASER 2014

We live in a country that has achieved near universal enrollment, built enough schools, and has appointedteachers and academic support staff. In the same country, we have children in higher grades who cannot readwell and cannot comprehend what they read. It is also clearly visible that a large proportion of children areleaving government schools and seeking other options including supplemental help over and above school. It isincomprehensible why governments (past and perhaps the present too) have been unwilling to tackle thislearning crisis head on?

Remedial learning is something Indian education experts have frowned on. In the meanwhile, a hundred millionchildren have gone through the schools in the last decade without basic reading and math skills. The expertswere busy working out holistic ideals with not a clue about how to get them on the ground. The Government ofIndia, under the influence of these experts, took a long time to move to a learning outcomes orientation andstopped well short of what is urgently needed.

It is time to cover the huge backlog in basic skills created by the neglect of at least the last decade. Pratham'sexperience is that children in Std 3 or higher can learn to read with proficiency and learn the basics of arithmeticquite quickly. Continuing with reading, writing, thinking, speaking exercises focused on deeper comprehensionleads to enhanced levels of confidence and understanding. This helps a child to reach a threshold beyond whichshe can be a more independent learner, less dependent on the teacher. Or, it may be said that the 'chalk andtalk' methods can then give way to better teacher-student interactions. A strategy for acceleration of pace inimproving learning outcomes across schooling years is urgently needed.

Ground level evidence shows that the achievement of high levels of reading and math proficiency in Indianschools is not something that should take decades. If we simplify matters and focus on the key areas to build aplatform for higher learning, it can be achieved in less than five years within the limits of current human andfinancial capacities.

The Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat initiative to create a base for reading, writing, and math fluency is a good step.However, it is yet to be seen if it will succeed as envisaged. Pick up is quite slow. Given the achievement inhiring teachers and creating infrastructure over the last decade, the Government of India and the state governmentsare still moving at the old pace of business as usual. Now acceleration is not only possible but also criticallynecessary.

The child population in India has started to decline and the demography will change dramatically over the nexttwenty years. Unfortunately, the predominant thinking about India's economic advance has been and continuesto be centered on the investment of financial capital. That limitations of human capital at the base of thepyramid could be big hurdle in India's economic advancement is not expressed or felt strongly, either in industryor among policymakers. Perhaps 50% of India going to private schools will provide enough human capital forthe economic engine. Where is the urgency to get the rest better educated to meet the challenges of the future?

As we complete ten years of ASER, the Government of India deserves to be congratulated on its achievementsin infrastructure over the last decade. The expansion of infrastructure and facilities has led to larger numbers ofchildren transitioning to the upper primary stage and beyond. But its neglect of learning outcomes has definitelycontributed to a growing divide in every village and community between those who access private schools ortutors, and those who do not. Further neglect and slow pace of change will be more disastrous educationally,socially, and politically.

ASER 2014 5

In the late 1960s a political scientist, Matthew Crenson, went to Gary Indiana to study the workings of municipalgovernment. One characteristic of Gary Indiana at the time was that it stank, badly, and the air pollution wasterrible. As the location of a major US Steel plant the whole city smelled of sulfur and on bad days the air wasvisibly thick with particulates. Yet in his year-long study of the operation of local government - attending meetings,interviewing officials, examining agendas - the fact that the city had terrible air and stank badly just never oncehappened to come up. His book on this research was sub-titled The Politics of Non-Decision Making.

The myth is that the policy making processconsists of a group of people called policymakers (both politically elected andappointed officials and top administrativeofficers) who make decisions involvingchoosing among alternatives to addressproblems. In this formulation, influencingpolicy for the better consists of providingpolicy makers with better informationabout alternatives, such as providingevidence (perhaps even rigorousevidence) that this program or policydesign provides more bang for the buckthan the other. But this narrative, whilecharming, misses the main point: what ison the policy making agenda as aproblem - and how that problem isconstructed - have their own dynamicsthat may determine outcomes much morethan choices among alternatives.

How does one turn a fact into a policy problem? There are three steps, all illustrated in the case of ASER andlearning outcomes in Indian schools.

First, one has to establish what the factual conditions really are in a way that can create a concrete and specificdiscourse about a problem that can be communicated to create a common formulation. Before ASER peoplemight have asserted that learning wasnt good in Indian schools, but the framing of the issue wasnt concrete orspecific (in which of many possible ways wasnt it good?) and hence could not lead to sustained communication.So, once every few years the government released (or didnt) a report on learning, or some academic or NGOwould release a study (e.g. the PROBE report), but there was no sustained communication about learning resultsaround which coalitions for action could build.

This first step is not easy as often powerful players - in particularly the existing providers of public schooling - hadno interest in there being a commonly accepted set of facts about learning quality. And particularly they had nointerest in losing control over the establishment and framing of those facts. But now, ten years into ASER, thereis a massive body of assessments that have definitively broken the monopoly over the measurement of learningthat the GOI attempted to maintain. Obviously the ASER itself, carried out at massive scale (over half a millionchildren each year), at a district level of representation (not to be dismissed as not relevant India-wide), andrepeated year after year after year convinced all who were convincible that mastery of basic reading andarithmetic skills was not only not universal among school goers, but often not even widespread. This has beensupplemented by the use of the ASER instrument by others as in the India Human Development Survey; by the

Turning a condition into a problem: ASERssuccessful first ten years

Lant Pritchett1

1 Professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

6 ASER 2014

more psychometrically sophisticated tools at grades 4, 6 and 8 in the Education Initiatives study across 18 states;by the participation of the states of Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the PISA study; by large scale longitudinalstudies in Andhra Pradesh. All of these, with different instruments and angles, tell a similar factual story of alearning crisis in India.

As with the example of Gary Indiana, it does not suffice that the facts about a condition be widely accepted, onestill has to turn a condition into a problem. In a country like India, with its limited economic, political andadministrative resources there are many negative factual conditions that do not get onto the policy agenda asproblems. Even once there is consensus on the facts, there are two more steps.

The next step is to convince people that the condition is not inevitable, that it is a fact but not a fact of life.A condition can only become a problem if there is an idea of a solution (but importantly, not vice versa, havinga solution is not sufficient to create a problem). As the old joke goes: Everyone talks about the weather but noone does anything about it. No one did anything about it because there was nothing you could do. As theadvocates of climate change have shown, one can turn even the weather into something people frame not asa condition but as a problem - something one can do something about.

Many have attempted to prevent the condition of low learning in Indian schools from becoming a problem bydenying there was anything that could be done about it. This often took the very popular tack of blaming thevictims by asserting that various types of children were just uneducable. The fact that India had first generationlearners or that India was just a poor country or that parents werent interested in education became excusesto accept the fact that learning outcomes stank without that condition becoming a policy problem.

Finally, perhaps the hardest part of putting and keeping a problem on the policy agenda is to prevent thedisplacement of a real outcome-oriented solution by a set of solutions of the type government bureaucracieslove - more inputs. Once low learning is accepted as a factual condition and it becomes a problem that peopleare willing to attempt to address, the tendency is to quickly turn the problem into a neatly implementablepackage of pre-cooked solutions and make the problem the lack of the solution. With that problem into lackof solution sleight of hand accomplished, policy makers can go back into implementation mode.

This is obviously the challenge facing India today. The education bureaucracy, and some parts of the educationmovement, want the lack of identifiable, easily quantifiable, bureaucratically controllable inputs to be way inwhich the problem of education is framed. The whole education information system that has been mounted, theDistrict Information System for Education, which the official bureaucracy is happy to label the Report Card onschools is a perfect example. The report card for each state has 817 pieces of information - and not one ofthem, not one, is about learning. Under the section Performance Indicators the DISE Report Card providesdata like percent of schools with a boundary wall, percent with a kitchen shed. While these might be related tolearning performance of students they are not the same as learning, and goals for meeting infrastructure targetsare not goals for reaching learning targets. The Right to Education legislation doesnt in fact provide the right toeducation at all. It provides the right to attend a school. Whether that school actually provides an education -that apparently is not how some advocates want the problem framed. They want to define a quality school asone with a set of inputs and that is that.

The challenge of the next ten years of ASER is clear: keep everyones eyes on the prize of improving learningoutcomes for Indias children.

ASER 2014 7

Bringing the education administration backin to the classroom

Yamini Aiyar1

In the last year, Accountability Initiatives crew of researchers has interviewed over 60 local education administratorsin Bihar (district, block, cluster and school officials in charge of actual implementation) to capture their perspectiveson the constraints to childrens learning in elementary schools. Administrators viewed the challenge of learningprimarily as a consequence of circumstances outside their control. These included poor policy the Right toEducations no detention policy was frequently cited; poor administration from above dual pay scales forteachers, poor allocation of tasks that took time away from teaching and the mid day meal were commonreasons that took away attention from quality teaching in schools; parents who had little interest in what theirchildren did in school; and students who rarely attended schools.2

And expectedly, the solutions to this challenge too lay outside of the administrators domain of influence. Agarsarkar chahe to bahut kuch ho sakta hai sums up how most administrators viewed the learning problem.3 Aswe pressed on with our interviews, we discovered that most local level administrators viewed themselves asmere cogs in a wheel over which they had no control. In fact when pushed, most interviewees referred tothemselves as post officers and reporting machines with little role to play in decision-making. As one blockofficial said, Humari awaaz kaun sunta hai. No surprise then that education administrators consider thesolution to the greatest challenge that they face every day when they get to work as something they can doprecious little about. And, this is not a problem unique to Bihar. As we discovered when conducting similarinterviews in other states, education administrators across the country have a similar perspective.

How does such an atmosphere prevail? In a recently completed paper with my co-author Shrayana Bhattacharya,I explore this question through what we have described as the post office phenomenon among block educationofficers (BEO).4 Our analysis is based on a time-use study and a series of interviews that we conducted betweenDecember 2012 and May 2013 with block education officers in one block each in Andhra Pradesh, HimachalPradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar.

By design, the BEO is expected to manage multiple tasks from monitoring compliance, to managing humanresources, providing academic support to schools and engaging the community in school related functions.Unsurprisingly therefore, given the range of activities expected, the block is a place of frenzied activity. BEOsspend much of their day in routine tasks - visiting schools, attending meetings, completing paper work anddealing with visitors.

Seems reasonable? Except that these daily tasks are rarely planned. BEOs usually start their day with phone callsfrom their district bosses informing them of new government orders received and the tasks they have toperform. As a result each day is spent executing unplanned tasks rather than fulfilling the tasks they were hiredfor. During our study, Bihars BEOs were busy implementing orders to organize camps for uniform and scholarshipdistribution. In Himachal Pradesh, BEOs were busy managing exams while Andhra Pradeshs BEOs wereimplementing teacher recruitment orders. During this time, none of the officers found any time to respond toreports received or needs expressed by those who visited the blocks. In fact, it was common for HMs and villageelders who visited the block officers to raise concerns about their schools to be asked to wait while BEOscompleted their district specified tasks.

In responding to these orders, the entire block office appeared to be geared toward implementing schemesrather than responding to the needs of the school. In fact learning related activities found almost no place inthe daily activities of the block office for the time period of this study. And BEOs appear to have shaped theirroles as being mere rule followers and data gatherers rather than active agents of administration. In other words,they are no more than post officers. In 2014, Accountability Initiatives researcher started a similar exercise

1 Director, Accountability Initiative (AI), Centre for Policy Research. Since 2010, AI has been implementing a survey called PAISA that tracks fund flows anddecision-making systems in elementary education. Parts of the PAISA survey are implemented in partnership with ASER. This article draws on new researchbeing implemented by AI and reflects the work of many colleagues.2 These interviews were conducted as part of a wider research study by Accountability Initiative researchers (Ambrish Dongre, Vincy Davis, Ashish Ranjan,Dinesh Kumar and Seema Muskan) to understand the implementation of an experimental program called Mission Gunnvata aimed at improving learningin elementary schools that was rolled out in 2013 in the state. The study findings will be ready in the summer of 2015.3 My colleague Vincy Davis was quick to point out the irony of those within the sarkar referring to the sarkar in third person!4 Aiyar, Yamini and Bhattacharya, Shrayana (2015) The Post Office Paradox: A Case Study of the Education Block Level Bureaucracy, AccountabilityInitiative Working Paper Series, www.accountabilityindia.in

8 ASER 2014

with cluster resource officers and headmasters in Bihar. Preliminary results suggest a very similar pattern in theirtime use. No surprise, then, that local administrators consider the learning challenge as something that can beresolved only if someone other than themselves takes action.

In our analysis, Bhattacharya and I trace the persistence of this post officer syndrome to the organizationaldesign of the education administration, which has served to entrench a culture where hierarchy dominatesunderstandings of performance. This in turn further entrenches a sense of powerlessness and apathy within thelocal administration.

To explain, as the PAISA surveys have repeatedly highlighted, decision-making systems within the educationsystem are concentrated within the higher levels of the administration leaving local level administrators little byway of actual authority. This creates a sense of powerlessness amongst officers. As one interviewee said, ThePrabhari or HM comes here and I have no answer on what has happened to their request or problem. I have tosend them to the district office or ask them to wait till I hear anything. I feel bad. I have no power to give themanything, but I dont know what happened to their case either. The hierarchical culture that this top-downdecision-making system creates also ensures that higher levels of authority rarely provide block officers withinformation on progress over decisions and feedback on information provided by them. Nor do they consultlower authorities when allocating tasks. Thus local officers rarely fully comprehend the reasons why they areexpected to perform tasks and inevitably reduce even the most complex of tasks to rules and orders received.For instance, when block officials were asked to describe their role vis-a-vis school committees, most describedtheir role as that of communicating new rules and guidelines to HMs. Ensuring that committees function in amanner that enables effective parental engagement with the school is simply not on their agenda.

In this hierarchical, order driven work culture, officials understand performance entirely on the basis ofresponsiveness to orders rather than responding to school level needs. As one respondent in Bihar said As longas you keep sending data and as many forms as possible, you are a good worker here. Mandal level staff inAndhra Pradesh agreed. Our job is focused on filing performa well, we honestly dont know what happensafter we collect this information.

Consequently, the entire local bureaucracy waits for orders to be received and as for the rest, they view theirjobs, in the words of a cluster resource center coordinator, as complete rest in comfortable conditions. Afterall, why work when the system doesnt demand it! And in this world, focusing on school needs and identifyingsolutions to the learning problem is simply not something that local administrators can do.

Those skeptical of an average administrators intent to do their job would suggest that such claims of apathy andpowerlessness are an excuse - yet another strategy to shirk effort and responsibility. Those sympathetic to theburdens of last mile work conditions would suggest that we are witnessing how hierarchical organizationspredicated on rule-following norms stimulate and sustain an atmosphere of administrative apathy, therebylegitimizing unresponsiveness on the part of the administration. Irrespective, as Bhattacharya and I argue, it isour contention that effective governance is incumbent on the extent to which training and management of localstate administration tackles how administrative line agents understand their roles and make meaning of theirown identity as block officers. And any effort at implementing policy aimed at improving learning mustnecessarily confront this everyday reality of Indias local education administration.

As the policy debate on improving learning outcomes in India gathers pace, the issue of the how the localadministration is organized, motivated and incentivized to do its job is going to matter significantly. Back in2005, when ASER first made headlines, the challenge was to push Indias education policy toward acknowledgingthe problem of outcome failures. This has changed. The 12th Five Year Plan adopted in December 2012 andrecent policy documents of the Ministry of Human Resource Development recognize the outcomes problem andexplicitly articulate learning improvements as the stated goal for education policy. Between 2013 and 2014many state governments introduced experimental programs aimed at improving learning in schools. Thegovernment of India too launched the nationwide quality focused Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat in 2014 alongwith a number of state level learning assessment programs. But for all of these efforts to be sustained and scaledup, they need to be embedded in the day-to-day functioning of the local administration - after all, it is theseadministrators who ultimately implement reforms. Indias learning challenge is as much a challenge of governanceas it is of pedagogy. We need to bring governance back into the debate and ensure that every educationadministrator is incentivized to place her gaze firmly within the four walls of the classroom.

ASER 2014 9

ASER 2014 Looking back

Amit Kaushik1

1 Practice Head, Education & Skills Development, IPE Global Pvt Ltd.2 Pratham Resource Centre, Mumbai, Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2005 Rural, 2006.3 http://bit.ly/1xCn3RO accessed 31.12.2014

Ten years ago, an ambitious and audacious idea was floated why not have a peoples audit of governmentexpenditure on education and produce a report for the common man? In a conversation shortly after the 2%Education Cess was introduced in 2004, I recall Madhav (Chavan, co-founder and CEO of Pratham) first proposingthe concept, arguing that the people had a right to know where the Cess was being spent, and how effective itreally was. At the time, I was with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and grappling withthe concept of the Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh (PSK), a non-lapsable fund we were trying to convince the FinanceMinistry to create, in order to ensure that Cess revenues remained with MHRD to support elementary education.In that context, Madhavs idea seemed like a good one, but I had no inkling then of the scale at which he wasproposing to execute it.

When it was finally carried out, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2005 covered some 490 districtsand 3.3 lakh children, who were tested by volunteers from all walks of life, at home, in school, on the streetsand in the fields, and just about everywhere in between. Today the scale and scope of the reports have widenedsignificantly, but for a first time exercise, it was bold and unparalleled in scale; quite simply, nobody had everattempted anything like it before. Most striking of all was its intent, captured by the Preamble to the report.We, people of India, from different states and regions, speaking different languages, sat with our children andlooked within, inside our homes, at our villages, into our schools, and prepared this report for ourselves, to builda better India.2 This was what set ASER apart from donor-funded or government surveys - it was a report of thepeople, by the people, for the people.

In 2004, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the governments programme for universalising elementary education,was in its third year of implementation. Our concerns in MHRD at the time were primarily around provisioningand ensuring that all children were enrolled in school, in order to meet the first goal of the programme, viz., allchildren in school/EGS centre/bridge course by 2003. It was already evident that the 2003 enrolment milestonehad not been met, and all our efforts were thus concentrated on catching up. When the findings of ASER 2005were shared with us, some days before the formal release of the report, it was heartening to learn that thesurvey had estimated that just over 93% children of the appropriate age group were enrolled in school; thisaccorded well with the data being reported by the states, and seemed to indicate that SSA was having asuccessful impact on the ground.

The focus of most of the debate after ASER 2005 was more on the national enrolment figures; learning levelshad also been tested, and the results did not fully match either popular perception, or the available NCERT data.Later reports, treating the question of enrolment as more or less settled, have emphasised learning levels ofchildren, testing among other things, to see where they stand, and exploring the differences, if any, betweenpublic and private schools. These reports have also examined the availability of facilities in schools vis--vis thosemandated by the Right to Education Act, and collected some basic economic information about households,such as possession of mobiles and TVs, etc.

The numbers coming out of the ASER 2005 survey also validated the results of another study commissioned bygovernment and carried out by IMRB.3 The latter study estimated that some 1.34 crore or 6.94% children werethen out of school, which approximated the ASER estimates of 1.4 crore or 6.6%. The importance of the ASERresults lay of course, in the fact that unlike the IMRB exercise which had been funded by government, they werean independent and non-partisan estimation. While the IMRB report could conceivably be questioned as agovernment statistic, the results of ASER were not so easily open to multiple interpretations. Both the IMRBreport and ASER 2005 were used extensively by government to provide evidence of the impact and effectivenessof its universalisation programme, at least in terms of improved enrolment figures.

While the enrolment data emerging from ASER has generally been viewed as encouraging, this has not alwaysbeen the case with figures related to learning. NCERT and several state governments disputed many of thefindings, questioning both the methodology and the process adopted to determine learning outcomes. In somecases, the hostility extended to actively banning Pratham from working with their schools, a challenge the latterovercame by working directly with village communities instead.

10 ASER 2014

Somewhere around the fifth ASER report, a suggestion was made that perhaps there should be fewer reports;possibly one report every 2-3 years instead of a regular annual publication. Many others who work in this sectorno doubt shared my relief that this was one suggestion Pratham did not accept. An annual ASER exercise andreport have now become an integral part of the education landscape, serving to educate and inform stakeholdersin the system and the public at large.

What impact has ASER had on the Indian education environment? First, just the introduction of the concept ofa peoples audit of education was a game changer in itself; the Peoples Report on Basic Education (PROBE)was a one-off exercise and had not, at the time, been repeated, nor was it anything like ASER in its scope. ASERreports have regularly held up a mirror to society, informing us of how much (or how little) our children havegained in terms of improved education levels, access to better schooling, and removal of inequities. Note that itsoriginal purpose has not changed - ASER is still aimed at anyone who has an interest in education, not just policymakers or academics or other standard stakeholders in the system.

Second, the single most significant finding of ASER year after year has been the fact that learning levels acrossthe country, whether in public or private school, have not improved. Clearly, even after spending crores ofrupees on delivering a Right to Education, our efforts have not succeeded as well as they should have; the policyprescription for shifting attention away from inputs to outcomes could not be clearer.

Third, and directly as a result of the above finding, ASER has succeeded in bringing the issue of learningcentrestage; from a focus on ensuring that children are enrolled in school and that adequate infrastructural andteaching facilities are provided to them, the debate has now moved to a place where inputs are assumed, butthe interest is in outcomes. For the first time, the 12th Five Year Plan acknowledged that there is a need for aclear shift in strategy from a focus on inputs and increasing access and enrolment to teaching learning processand its improvement in order to ensure adequate appropriate learning outcomes,4 explicitly agreeing that amore-of-the-same approach focused only on provisioning will not necessarily work. While there will always bediscussion around methodological approaches and whether ASER follows this or that method as opposed toothers, the fact is that successive ASER reports have compelled us all to sit up and take notice of what is reallyhappening inside schools.

Additionally, ASER has pushed both the central and state governments into commissioning their own assessmentsand analyses of the status of education in their schools, often in a move to defend policy and/or practice. Inmany cases, these assessments do not produce the same results as ASER, partly since they are not comparablein terms of what is measured and who is covered, and there is often much controversy and hand wringing overthe discrepancies. Yet it is a moot point if such assessments would today be considered so essential if publicperception had not been influenced so profoundly by ASER.

Fourth, ASER has been successful in highlighting an important trend in school enrolment - from only 16%children enrolled in private schools when ASER 2005 was carried out, the percentage has increased to nearly30% in the last report. Present trends seem to indicate that this number will increase to 50% by the end of thecurrent decade. Given that this increase has taken place in rural areas, where much of the money spent on SSAand other programmes has been concentrated, this is not an encouraging development, and is one that meritsserious reflection on the part of policy makers.

What should one now expect after a decade of this exercise? Ideally, the annual reports should continue to raisethe uncomfortable questions that they do today. Perhaps there is now a case for a somewhat more sophisticatedanalysis of learning; not necessarily one that substitutes for say, a PISA or TIMSS, but one that develops a morerigorous indigenous model of assessment, feeding even more closely into policy making and thus potentiallymaking a difference to learning in schools. For there is no doubt that unless we get this piece right, any illusionsof benefiting from a demographic dividend in the future are unlikely to be realised.

Personally, I would also like to see greater dissemination of the results of the report, not just at the time of itsrelease, but continuously through the year. Pratham and ASER Centre have of course, been disseminating theresults at district and State levels all these years, but what we need in this country is a continuous and sustaineddebate about the education of our children. Data from ASER is used regularly by the media to illustrate theirreports; perhaps the next question to ask could be around ways to deepen this engagement in order to keep adiscussion going.

Whatever direction the report takes in the coming years, ASER can rightly claim the credit for having changed,over the course of the last decade, the manner in which school education is discussed and understood in India;for that one achievement alone, Pratham deserves our thanks.4 Planning Commission, Government of India, Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017) Faster, More Inclusive and Sustainable Growth, Vol III, 2012.

ASER 2014 11

I am happy to see that ASER has completed the tenth consecutive year of its annual survey. ASER has made agreat contribution to the discussions on our primary education policy. It has been successful, at least to someextent, in shifting the policy discourse from measuring inputs to asking for outcomes. Indeed, the fact that evenin Parliament, over a dozen questions were asked about learning levels, testifies to the impact of these surveys.

It may be a bit disheartening to see the survey results every year and find that there is little improvement