Delhi University has completed three regular rounds of undergraduate admissions, but 13,433 UG seats are still vacant. According to the university’s latest spot-round vacancy list, the unfilled seats are spread across 1,160 college-course combinations
“We have a history of renowned political leaders; we hail from the lands of intellect. This university has nurtured multiple leaders, including Gulzarilal Nanda, Madan Lal Khurana, Mahadevi Varma, and many Chief Justices,” 23-year-old Priyanshu Vidrohi said
In Bihar’s Gaya district lies Patwa Toli, a village popularly known as the “Village of IITians." What makes it remarkable is the presence of IIT-educated engineers in almost every household. Every year, more than a dozen students from the village qualify for the IIT-JEE examinations
Jammu-born entrepreneur Onkar Singh Batra has added another remarkable achievement to an already extraordinary journey. From creating a website at the age of seven to developing a satellite at 16, Batra has spent much of his childhood exploring technology, entrepreneurship, and space
According to NITI Aayog’s Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047 report, only 8.25 per cent of graduates were able to secure jobs matching their qualifications in one year. This means that more than 91 per cent of graduates were either unemployed or working in jobs below their educational
I have passed Class 12 (PCMB) with a state rank of 10 and have taken NEET 2026 and KCET. I want to pursue B.Sc. Chemistry but people say I should not do so because I have such good marks. I am also considering BDS or a B.Sc. Paramedical course
Me: Lalitha, you’ve been colouring all this time. Do you enjoy colouring? This was an informal conversation I had with two young British-Indian children — a seven-year-old boy and his four-year-old sister, Lalitha — during a train journey from Coimbatore to Chennai.Me: Lalitha
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been grounded in controversy since the NEET UG paper leak row. The central agency, which was envisaged in November 2017 as a single agency for conducting all higher education entrance exams, is under scanner after cancellation of UGC NET exam for three subjects
Bridging India’s numeracy gap
Bridging India’s numeracy gap Premium
The National Education Policy 2020 rightly identifies Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) as the cornerstone of all future learning. The NIPUN Bharat Mission has translated this policy intent into action by focusing on learning outcomes rather than just inputs. Foundational learning outcomes — stagnant for decades — have shown measurable improvement, as confirmed by government as well as independent surveys.
Despite these gains, numeracy continues to lag behind literacy. The Annual State of Education Report 2024 report shows that while 48.7% of Class 5 students can read fluently, only 30.7% can solve a basic division problem — an 18% point gap. No State reports higher numeracy than literacy outcomes. This situation makes it essential to examine numeracy more closely on the path to achieving foundational learning.
The root of the numeracy problem lies in the cumulative nature of mathematics. Unlike language learning, where partial comprehension allows some progress, math is hierarchical and builds on itself. A missed concept in the lower grades, such as place value, can make future concepts like addition and decimals inaccessible. As a result, once gaps form, they tend to widen over time.
Traditional syllabus-driven teaching worsens the issue, as it advances without ensuring that students have grasped earlier concepts. Research and field experience from Teaching at the Right Level, an approach developed by the NGO Pratham, show that instruction must be aligned with a child's learning level rather than the curriculum. Without remedial interventions, grade-level teaching simply bypasses most learners, deepening existing disparities.
This gap is also evident in the disconnect between school learning and real-life application. A study by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab shows that students who perform well on classroom math assessments often struggle to apply that knowledge in real-life market situations. Conversely, children engaged in real-world tasks, such as working in a shop, often find it difficult to transfer those skills into classroom-based math problems. This two-way disconnect underscores the need for integrated learning that brings real-life problem-solving into classrooms.
The practical consequences of the numeracy gap are significant. Students who lack foundational numeracy skills struggle in both math and science — subjects which record far higher failure rate than others — in board exams. Many adolescents exit school even before reaching the board exam stage, not because of a lack of access or interest, but because persistent learning gaps make classroom instruction incomprehensible, especially in middle and secondary school. The dread of math is therefore real, and results in closing the doors of higher education for many who can't pass Class 10 board exams or drop out earlier.
Addressing this challenge calls for a multi-pronged response that builds on NIPUN's gains. The most urgent step is to extend interventions up to Class 8, given that about 70% of Class 5 and more than 50% of Class 8 students are still unable to perform basic division, as per the ASER 2024 report. Limiting foundational interventions to Class 3 is inadequate when upper primary children continue to miss out, many having lost crucial primary years due to COVID-19 disruptions. Experiences from the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, where extending FLN interventions into middle grades significantly improved outcomes as shown in the Parakh Rashtriya Survekshan 2024, confirm the value of such an approach.
Alongside this extension, it is equally important to move beyond “foundational” skills and introduce what may be called FLN+ skills — fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, and integers — since these are critical for board exam success and later academic progression. ASER 2024's finding that nearly 70% of Class 5 students cannot solve division suggests that an overwhelming majority also lack higher-level skills, such as adding simple fractions (for example, 2/3 + 1/2). This must change through a concerted effort.
Pedagogy, too, must evolve, especially beyond the NIPUN hours: child-friendly, activity-based methods already used for FLN should be adapted for higher-level concepts, ensuring teaching aligns with students' actual learning levels rather than rigid grade-based syllabi. Finally, the classroom must connect more meaningfully with the outside world. By embedding literacy and numeracy in real-life contexts and encouraging everyday problem-solving, schools can make learning not only more relevant but also more enduring.
In conclusion, India's numeracy gap is both widespread and deep, intensifying as children progress through school. Its causes lie in the cumulative nature of mathematics and instructional approaches that fail to meet students where they are. The consequences — poor learning outcomes, board exam failures, and high dropout rates — threaten India's educational and economic future. The NIPUN Bharat Mission has already shown that foundational skills can improve at scale with focused effort. The next step is to build on these gains and extend success to upper primary levels and to FLN+ skills, especially in math. Doing so is not just an academic priority but a social and economic one — with direct implications for enrolment, employability, and equity.
Jatin Goyal, a civil servant presently serving in the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Views are personal
Published - November 25, 2025 01:17 am IST
mathematics / school
Source: The Hindu
Related Posts: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy+ skills,Maths skills,Lasting numeracy progress
An estimated 8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working or undergoing training, said a report by the NITI Aayog, the main public policy think tank of the Union government. The report, titled Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047
15 hours ago
Over the past decade, India’s finance talent pool has expanded rapidly. Access to education has improved, certifications are more widely pursued, and exposure to financial concepts has increased. But the biggest concern in finance education today is the shift towards attention-driven learning
1 days ago
Eligibility: Indian nationals in school (Class 9 to 12), UG or PG courses with at least 75% or 7.9 CGPA (10% relaxation for SC/ST students) and an annual family income not exceeding ₹300,000 (School students) and ₹600,000 (other categories). Eligibility: Indian nationals in school (Class 1 to
1 days ago
The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to M/s Eduquity Career Technologies Pvt. Ltd. over lapses in the conduct of the All India AYUSH Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET) at an examination centre in Jaipur
1 days ago
For several decades, AutoCAD has remained the foundational tool in Civil Engineering practice. It has shaped how design documentation is produced, reviewed, and executed across projects of varying scales. However, in the current trajectory of the Architecture, Engineering
1 days ago
Having read several of Saikat Majumdar’s novels and a couple of his non-fiction books, I consider him one of those rare contemporary writers who move seamlessly across fiction, nonfiction, and academia – embodying the spirit of a true literary polymath
1 days ago
Ausa police in Maharashtra’s Latur district have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, associate Ajinkya Shinde, and three to four unidentified individuals following allegations of unorganised intrusion, filming
1 days ago
For generations, the pursuit of grades or marks has ruled Indian academia. Teachers quite often lament that this socially constructed obsession with high scores impedes authentic contextual learning. Yet the contemporary learner is moving away from a test-oriented approach to ask: What will I get
2 days ago
A moving note reading “I will become a doctor in my next life" was recovered after a 19-year-old NEET aspirant died by suicide at his residence in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The deceased, identified as Krishna Subhash Sonawane
2 days ago
The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday night defended its Rs 200 fee for challenging an answer key, saying the system is “designed to be fair" to all students. The agency also rejected concerns that the charge is “too expensive". The NTA’s answer key challenge process allows candidates
2 days ago
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, will confer the National Teachers Awards on 48 school teachers at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi, on September 5, 2026. The purpose of the National Teachers Award is to celebrate the unique contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country and to honour
2 days ago
The COVID-19 pandemic permanently reshaped how colleges and universities deliver coursework, conduct exams, and share resources. The shift toward hybrid and blended learning that it accelerated has become the new standard. For many students, this transformation has unlocked greater flexibility and
2 days ago
AP ICET Counselling 2026 : The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has officially announced the schedule for the AP ICET 2026 centralised web counselling. Candidates seeking admission to MBA and MCA programmes at universities and affiliated colleges in the state can commence
2 days ago
The Centre on Thursday (August 20, 2026) told the Supreme Court that the 2026 University Grants Commission equity regulations on preventing caste-based discrimination on campuses is under reconsideration. On January 29, the apex court had directed that the University Grants Commission (Promotion of
4 days ago
In June 2026, thousands of students gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar after the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) was cancelled following a paper leak, demanding accountability from the government. The protests, which culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister
4 days ago
Following NEET UG, irregularities have also come to light in the UGC NET June 2026 examination. However, the Central Government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the system used to conduct NEET UG is foolproof and difficult to breach. The government explained that several moderators are
4 days ago
The NCERT has reconstituted the textbook development team for classes 11 and 12 political science with a mandate to integrate cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems and inclusion, with at least four of the members having direct or indirect links with the RSS
4 days ago
The Delhi High Court has put JNU’s postgraduate admissions on hold. The court has stopped the university from finalising any admissions that use extra “deprivation points." The court said adding bonus marks to scores from a big national exam like CUET is unfair
4 days ago
In many Maths classrooms, a student encounters a challenging question, pauses for a moment, and almost immediately looks towards the teacher for assistance. Within seconds, a method is demonstrated, the solution is revealed, and the class moves on. The problem is solved
5 days ago
A university convocation is traditionally a rite of passage—a solemn initiation where the next generation of legal minds are welcomed into the fold of justice. However, this month, the halls of NALSAR University of Law became the site of a regulatory tantrum that threatened to undermine the very
5 days ago
IIT Kharagpur will begin the registration process for the Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM) 2027 on September 5, 2026. The application window will remain open until October 12, 2026. The institute, which is organising the examination this year
6 days ago
Mumbai: The Karnataka High Court admitted a fresh plea by Qatar Holding LLC against debt-laden edtech firm Byju’s, seeking to enforce a SGD 7.2 million ( ₹53 crore) arbitration award against founder Byju Raveendran and his company Byju’s Investments Pvt. Ltd (BIPL) in July
6 days ago
The Jharkhand government, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, announced on August 17, 2026, that the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination held in 2024 has been cancelled. The government has also ordered a detailed investigation into alleged irregularities in government recruitment
6 days ago
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out searches at 21 locations in Karnataka and Ahmedabad over alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission’s (KPSC) Veterinary Officers recruitment examination, ANI reported
6 days ago
For decades, India’s school education policy pursued a simple objective: to bring a school within reach of every child. The neighborhood school became an instrument of social justice, particularly for poor and rural families. However, many such schools have limited infrastructure and serve very
6 days ago
The Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (UPMSP) has released the results for the 2026 High School Improvement and Intermediate Compartment examinations. Candidates can check their results on the UP Board website, upmsp.edu.in. Along with the results
6 days ago
The Congress on Monday (August 17, 2026) stepped up its attack on the National Testing Agency over its decision to re-conduct the UGC-NET examination for three subjects, demanding accountability for what it termed “serious” lapses in the examination system and a white paper on 15 major
6 days ago
