ASER 2022: Maharashtra sees decline in reading, math abilities of children
Only 26.6 percent of surveyed children from class 3 can read Class 2 level text in the year 2022. This was 42.1 percent in 2018 and 40.6 percent in 2017.
The timings for the teaching staff of primary classes will be 10.40 am to 4.40 pm. (Express Photo/ Representative Image)
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Maharashtra has witnessed a steady decline in the reading and arithmetic skills of children, as per the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 released today. Even as enrollments have seen an increase in government schools, there is marginal drop in enrollment of private schools. While schools having usable computers has seen a drop; there is a whooping jump in the number of households having mobile phones which are smartphones with internet facilities.
Only 26.6 per cent of surveyed children from class 3 can read class 2 level text in 2022. This was 42.1 per cent in 2018 and 40.6 per cent in 2017. Only 18.7 per cent of children from class 2 can do basic subtraction in the year 2022. This was 27.1 per cent in 2018. The condition is similar for higher classes surveyed in the report – class 5 and 8. Only 55.5 per cent of class 5 children can read class 2 level text. Whereas only 76.1 per cent class 8 children can read class 2 level text.
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In case of arithmetic capacity too, the performance of surveyed children has shown a decline. Only 18.5 per cent children from class 3 can do simple subtraction which was 27.1 per cent in 2018. Classes 5 and 8 were assessed for being able to do division. Only 19.9 per cent of Class 5 were able to solve it, which is a considerable drop from 28.0 percent of children from class 5 in 2018. Whereas in class 8, a total of 34.4 per cent children could do division, a significant drop from 40.7 per cent in 2018.
The ASER survey in Maharashtra surveyed 33 districts, 983 villages and 19396 households and 823 schools. While enrollment in government schools in Maharashtra has seen a jump from 61.6 per cent in the year 2018 to 67.4 per cent in the year 2022; it has dropped in private schools to 32.1 per cent from 37.6 per cent in the year 2018.
Even as there is a new wave of digitalisation in school education, post pandemic; the ASER report shows a drop in the number of schools having computers whereas the percentage of schools where children are observed using computers is nominal. In the year 2022, 34.0 per cent of schools have computers which is a considerable drop from 45.5 per cent in the year 2018. But the percentage of students who are observed using computers remains the same at 19 per cent in both years.
However, children are seen having the most access to mobile phones as the number of households having mobile phones has witnessed an increase from only 67.5 per cent in the year 2010 to 95.1 per cent in the year 2022. Out of these 84.1 per cent households have smartphones. Whereas 88.1 per cent of those have an internet facility.
Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra.
Expertise
Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting.
Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive:
Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses).
Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers.
Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis).
Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students.
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Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized.
Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families.
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