Class 3 Learning Still Lower Than Pre-Covid Level: Govt Survey

The 2024 PARAKH survey highlights that foundational learning levels, especially in Class 3, are yet to recover to pre-Covid standards, reflecting the deep academic setbacks caused by the pandemic.

Scores of only Class 3 can be compared with 2017 and 2021 since it is the only common class in all three rounds of assessment. The 2017 National Achievement Survey (NAS) was held for Classes 3, 5 and 8, while the 2021 NAS was for Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10.

Crucial Highlights of the 2024 PARAKH Survey

Class 3 learning

Assessment: Conducted in December 2024 by PARAKH (formerly NAS).
Coverage: 21.15 lakh students across Classes 3, 6, and 9 in 74,229 schools.
Aligned with: NEP 2020 stages
- Class 3: End of Foundational Stage
- Class 6: End of Preparatory Stage
- Class 9: End of Middle Stage
Raised Concern
- Class 3 Learning Levels: Still Below Pre-Covid Benchmarks
  - National average score: Improvement since 2021, but still below 2017 (pre-Covid) levels.
- Class 6 & 9: Alarming Performance
  - National average < 50% in all subjects, except language.
  - The Education Ministry cites pandemic learning loss (2 years) as a key reason.

Subject-Wise Performance: Class 3
Language	Lowest: Reading short stories & comprehension – 60% Highest: Vocabulary for day-to-day use – 67%
Mathematics	Lowest: Geometric shapes & money transactions – 50% Highest: Identifying patterns, shapes & numbers – 69%

About PARAKH

Stands for: Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development
Establishment: As a dedicated unit under NCERT in 2023
- Created in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Objective
- To standardise student assessments across school boards nationwide.
- Set norms, standards, and guidelines for school-level evaluations.
- Implement activities related to student assessment and learning outcomes.
Expert Team
- Comprises leading national and international assessment experts
- Brings deep expertise in education systems and assessment frameworks
Mandate
- Build a common assessment platform for all State and UT school boards.
- Ensure uniformity and comparability across educational boards.
Major Focus Areas
- Capacity Building in Competency-Based Assessments
- Conducting Large-Scale Achievement Surveys (e.g., NAS/PARAKH Survey)
- Ensuring Equivalence of School Boards
- Developing Holistic Progress Cards across:
  - Foundational Stage
  - Preparatory Stage
  - Middle Stage
  - Secondary Stage

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