Students’ Math and Reading Skills Decline in Higher Classes: Govt Survey

A major government survey has revealed that as students move to higher classes, their abilities in basic subjects like Maths and English tend to decline. The findings come from the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, which studied students in Classes 3, 6, and 9 across the country.

The survey was conducted by PARAKH, a national body under the Ministry of Education, and assessed over 2.1 crore students in 36 States and Union Territories, covering 74,229 schools.

What the Survey found

Math Performance dropped sharply as students advanced:

• 55% of Class 3 students could correctly arrange numbers up to 99.
• Only 53% of Class 6 students knew tables up to 10.
• Just 28% of Class 9 students could solve percentage problems.

Language Skills also declined

• 60% of Class 3 students could read and understand short stories.
• 58% of Class 6 students could understand main ideas in a text.
• Only 54% of Class 9 students could summarize what they read.

Why Are Students Struggling in Higher Classes?

A senior official gave three main reasons:

1. Parental Help Reduces: Younger children often get support from parents or siblings, which declines in higher classes.

2. Subjects Get Tougher: As lessons become harder, students don’t always get the extra help they need.

3. Lack of Motivation: Families may not see academic success in higher classes as helpful for earning money, so they may not focus on studies.

To solve this, the government is encouraging schools to use Holistic Progress Cards (HPC) that show all-round development, and to include skill-based learning so families see real value in education.

How Class 3 Students Performed

Class 3 was the only class common to previous surveys (2017, 2021, and 2024), so performance could be compared:

In 2024, the average Class 3 score was:

• 64% in language (up from 62% in 2021, but lower than 66.7% in 2017)
• 60% in math (up from 57% in 2021, but below 63% in 2017)

Some states like Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, UP, and MP showed better results than before, indicating recovery from pandemic-related learning loss.

Other Highlights

Class 6 students were tested in three subjects:

• Language: 57%
• Math: 46% (lowest)
• “The World Around Us”: 49%

Class 9 students were tested in:

• Language: 54%
• Math: 37% (lowest)
• Science and Social Science: 40% each

The Way Forward

According to Prof. Indrani Bhaduri, head of PARAKH, the survey results show that NIPUN Bharat, a government mission to improve early learning, is beginning to show success at the foundational level (Class 3).

The goal is for every child to achieve basic reading and math skills by 2026–27.

To help students do better, PARAKH recommends:

• Involving parents and communities more in learning
• Supporting students who fall behind early
• Using technology in classrooms
• Training teachers better and encouraging creative teaching
• Building schools where every student feels valued