Himachal Pradesh Jumps to Top 5 in PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS)

PWOnlyIAS

July 11, 2025

Himachal Pradesh Jumps to Top 5 in PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS)

Himachal Pradesh jumped from 21st rank  in 2021 to the top five in recently announced PARAKH RS findings.

  • National Achievement Survey (NAS) has been renamed as ‘PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS)’.

Himachal Pradesh: A Model of Rebound

Several reforms helped rejuvenate public education:

  • School Consolidation: Over 1,000 under-enrolled schools were merged, allowing better use of teachers and infrastructure in the face of declining fertility rates (as seen in NFHS-5).
  • Administrative Restructuring: The school education system was unified under a single directorate (pre-primary to Class 12), improving coordination and accountability.
  • Decentralisation:  School-level decision-making was encouraged, improving student identity and participation.
  • Exposure visits for teachers and top-performing students (domestic and international) brought in new practices and motivation.
  • Cluster-Based School Management: Schools were organised into clusters to promote peer learning, resource sharing, and community involvement.

About PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS)

  • PARAKH is the National Assessment Centre established within NCERT as an autonomous unit in 2023, in pursuance of the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
  • Objective: To develop norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment.
  • It evaluates learning outcomes in key subjects like language, mathematics, and science for students in Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10 across government and aided schools.
  • It condcuts a  national-level test held every three years by the Ministry of Education.

Top Performing State/ Districts

  • Best Performing States/UTs:
    • Grade 3: Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala
    • Grade 6: Kerala, Punjab, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu
    • Grade 9: Punjab, Kerala, Chandigarh
  • Low Performing Districts:
    • Grade 3: Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Reasi & Rajouri (J&K)Grade 6: North, South, and South West Garo Hills (Meghalaya)
    • Grade 9: Shi Yomi (Arunachal Pradesh), North & South West Garo Hills (Meghalaya)

Key Learning Insights by Grade

Grade 3

  • Language:
    • 67% could use vocabulary effectively.
    • 60% could comprehend short stories and read simple texts.
  • Math:
    • 69% could identify patterns; 61% understood place value up to 99.
    • Only 54–58% could do basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).
    • 50% could recognise shapes or manage money-related tasks.

Grade 6

  • Math:
    • Only 38% could solve multi-step problems; 29% understood fractions.
    • Estimation and geometry-related tasks were handled by about 42%.
  • Science/EVS:
    • 44% could observe natural and social features around them.
    • Just 38% showed curiosity or made predictions about natural phenomena.
  • Civics/Understanding Systems: 56% could explain local institutions; 38% related to everyday social/cultural events.

Grade 9

  • Social Science: 45% understood constitutional values and historical roots.
  • Language: 54% could extract key points from articles and reports.
  • Math: Only 28–31% grasped fractions, percentages, or number properties.
  • Science:
    • Around 34–37% understood basic physics, electricity, and biology.
    • Just 1 in 3 could describe adolescence-related physical changes or scientific cause-effect phenomena.

Major Concerns

  • Learning Deficits Persist: Especially in fractions, measurements, science understanding, and conceptual math at higher grades.
  • Grade 9 Weakness is alarming — students are not prepared for complex applications or abstract reasoning.
  • Geographical Inequality: Remote and tribal districts (especially in the Northeast) continue to lag.

To get PDF version, Please click on "Print PDF" button.

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing

Aiming for UPSC?

Download Our App

      
Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

<div class="new-fform">






    </div>

    Subscribe our Newsletter
    Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
    *Promise! We won't spam you.
    Yes! I want to Subscribe.