The Union Government’s recent National Achievement Survey (NAS) has been making headlines. This enormous endeavor assessed approximately 38 lakh students from 1.23 lakh schools in 733 districts across 36 states and union territories throughout India. Originally scheduled for 2020, the survey was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, taking place instead in 2021.
About the National Achievement Survey
The NAS is a countrywide educational survey designed to evaluate learning outcomes and assess the performance of the education system. It’s currently the largest sample-based educational survey in India.
The Ministry of Education carries out the NAS, while the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) took responsibility for conducting NAS 2021. As for the assessment framework and tools, they were designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
The NAS offers a systemic reflection on school education effectiveness by collecting information on factors such as school environment, teaching processes, and students’ home and background. All school types are covered in the survey, including state and central government schools, government-aided schools, and private institutions.
NAS 2021: Medium and Grades
NAS 2021 was conducted in 22 instruction mediums, encompassing languages such as English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, and more. The survey was administered for different subjects across varying grades, with language, environmental studies, and mathematics evaluated in grades 3 and 5; language, science, mathematics, and social science in grade 8; and an added focus on English in grade 10.
The Objective of NAS
The key aim of NAS is to offer structured feedback on student learning at district, state, and national levels, contributing valuable information for policy planning and pedagogical interventions design. This data aids in improving educational quality and maintaining equity in learning.
Significance of NAS
The NAS has a vital role in assessing both the learning interruptions and new learnings that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this data, appropriate remedial measures can be taken.
Furthermore, the findings of NAS 2021 contribute to a systemic understanding of the impact of long-term school closures on students’ socio-emotional and cognitive development. The survey’s results aid in identifying student learning gaps and in creating effective education policies and teaching practices. With its diagnostic report cards, NAS data contributes to capacity building for teachers and education officials.
Education in India: Constitutional Provisions and Related Laws
India’s constitution contains provisions for state-funded, equitable, and accessible education under Part IV, Article 45 and Article 39 (f) of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP). Education was moved from the state to the concurrent list due to the 42nd Amendment in 1976, and the 86th Amendment in 2002 made education an enforceable right under Article 21-A.
The Right To Education (RTE) Act, enacted in 2009, seeks to provide primary education to all children aged 6 to 14 years and makes education a fundamental right for this age group. It also requires a 25% reservation for society’s disadvantaged sections.
Government Initiatives in Education
A number of government initiatives are in place to bolster education in India. These include the National Education Policy 2020, Samagra Shiksha (SS) 2.0, the NIPUN Bharat Mission, the PM Poshan Scheme, and the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE). A Performance Grading Index is also being utilized to evaluate the impact of these various initiatives.
Last Modified: February 13, 2024