ASER Survey 2024: Key Insights on Rural Education and Digital Literacy

ASER Survey 2024: Key Insights on Rural Education and Digital Literacy

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is a large-scale rural household survey assessing children's schooling and learning outcomes. It evaluates the schooling status of children aged 3-16 years and tests basic reading and arithmetic skills for ages 5-16. Conducted annually from 2005 to 2014, ASER shifted to a biennial format thereafter.

Key Findings

• Recovering Learning Losses: Foundational reading and arithmetic skills among students in Classes 3 and 5 have significantly improved, reversing post-pandemic setbacks. Arithmetic proficiency has reached its highest level in a decade.
• Digital Literacy Introduced: For the first time in 2024, ASER assessed digital literacy among 14-16-year-olds.
• Widespread Smartphone Access: Nearly 90% of rural students have a smartphone at home.
• Gender Disparity in Ownership: While 36.2% of boys own a smartphone, only 26.9% of girls do.
• Smartphone Usage Trends: Around 76% of teenagers use smartphones for social media, while only 57% use them for education.
• School Infrastructure: Right to Education (RTE) indicators show marginal improvements, including better toilet facilities, drinking water, and other essential infrastructure.

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