Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Index 2022

The Institute for Competitiveness, a think tank based in India, has released the second edition of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Index 2022. The index measures the literacy of children below the age of 10 and aims to provide an assessment of the states and union territories of India.

Four categories

The index has divided regions into four categories: large states, small states, union territories, and north-east. The states are ranked based on five key parameters and 36 indicators, including educational infrastructure, access to education, basic health, learning outcomes, and governance.

West Bengal ranks highest, Uttar Pradesh lowest

According to the index, West Bengal is the top performer among the large states, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh was ranked last in the category, followed by Bihar and Jharkhand. Among smaller states, Punjab ranked highest, followed by Goa and Mizoram. Telangana was at the bottom of the list, followed by Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur.

Union territories’ performance

Among union territories, Puducherry ranked the highest, followed by Chandigarh and Delhi. Ladakh was the worst performer in this category, followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

North-eastern states’ performance

Sikkim was ranked the highest in the north-eastern states’ category, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Meghalaya was the worst performer in this category, followed by Tripura and Assam.

Importance of the index

The index is important as it provides an assessment of the states and union territories in terms of foundational literacy and numeracy. It also identifies the areas where the states need to improve to provide better education and opportunities to children. The index can be used as a tool to identify the states that need more attention and resources to improve their educational infrastructure and learning outcomes.