Bridging India’s Numeracy Gap

Syllabus: GS2/Social Issues; Issues Related to Education

Context

• The persistent learning gap in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) that threatens the broader educational reform agenda under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

About the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)

• It refers to the ability of children to read with understanding and perform basic mathematical operations.
• These skills are considered essential for all future learning and personal development.
  • Literacy: Reading fluently with comprehension, writing coherently, and expressing ideas.
  • Numeracy: Understanding numbers, performing basic operations, and applying math in daily life.
• FLN development typically targets children aged 3 to 8 years (by Grade 3), a critical window for cognitive growth.
• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 declared FLN as the highest priority, leading to the launch of the NIPUN Bharat Mission:
  • NIPUN Bharat (2021): Aims to achieve universal FLN for all children in Grades 1–3 by 2026–27.
  • Diksha Platform: Offers digital resources for FLN, including teacher training and learning materials.
  • NISHTHA FLN: A capacity-building program for educators to improve delivery of foundational learning.
  • EAC-PM Report: Highlights the long-term benefits of early FLN interventions and tracks state-level progress.

Concerns & Issues Surrounding FLN

• Numeracy-Literacy Divide: According to the Annual State of Education Report (ASER) 2024, while 48.7% of Class 5 students can read fluently, only 30.7% can solve a basic division problem — a striking 18 percentage-point gap.
  • No state in India reports higher numeracy than literacy outcomes.
  • It indicates that while children may read words, they struggle to ‘read numbers’.
  • It underscores the need for targeted interventions in numeracy — the missing link in India’s foundational learning framework.
• Hierarchical Nature of Mathematics: The root of the numeracy problem lies in the cumulative and hierarchical nature of mathematics.
  • In language, partial understanding can still enable progress.
  • In mathematics, missing a basic concept such as place value can make later topics like addition, fractions, or decimals incomprehensible.
  • Traditional syllabus-driven teaching, which progresses irrespective of students’ conceptual readiness, deepens this problem.
• Real-World Disconnect: Evidence from the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) highlights another dimension:
  • Students who score well in classroom math assessments often fail to apply this knowledge in real-life contexts, such as making market calculations.
  • Conversely, children who handle real transactions (e.g., in family shops) often cannot translate those experiences into formal math problems.
  • This two-way disconnect points to the urgent need for integrated learning that connects classroom mathematics with everyday problem-solving.
• High Failure Rates & Drop Out: Students weak in basic numeracy struggle in mathematics and science, leading to high failure rates in board exams.
  • Many adolescents drop out of school before Class 10, not due to lack of interest, but because instruction becomes incomprehensible.
  • It creates a cycle of fear and disengagement, closing off access to higher education and employability pathways.

Way Forward: Toward a Multi-Pronged Response

• Extend FLN Beyond Early Grades: Limiting foundational interventions to Class 3 is insufficient. With nearly 70% of Class 5 and over 50% of Class 8 students unable to perform basic division (ASER 2024), interventions must extend up to Class 8.
  • Evidence from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, where FLN efforts were expanded into middle grades, shows notable improvement in outcomes (Parakh Rashtriya Survekshan 2024).
• Introduce FLN+ Skills: The next phase should move beyond basic skills to FLN+ — including fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, and integers. These are essential not just for board exams but also for functional literacy and life skills.

• Rethink Pedagogy: Child-friendly, activity-based learning methods proven effective in early grades should be adapted for upper primary levels. Teaching must respond to students’ actual learning levels, not rigid curricula.
• Connect Learning With Life: Mathematics should be taught through context-rich problems that reflect real-world scenarios. Embedding literacy and numeracy in everyday life enhances both relevance and retention.

Conclusion

• India’s numeracy challenge is deep, systemic, and urgent. It stems from the layered nature of mathematics and is perpetuated by traditional teaching practices that leave many learners behind.
  • The consequences — poor performance, dropouts, and inequity — threaten the very goals of the NEP 2020.
• The NIPUN Bharat Mission has demonstrated that focused, evidence-based interventions can improve foundational learning at scale.
  • The next step must be to extend these gains into upper primary and embed FLN+ numeracy as a national priority. 
• It is a social and economic necessity along with an academic imperative that directly influences India’s human capital, equity, and future growth.

Source: TH