FROM ENROLMENT TO LEARNING: AN ANALYSISOF READING SKILL AMONG ELEMENTARY STUDENTS OF INDIA

Elementary education is a fundamental right in India. Different government initiatives such as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, Samagra Shiksha, and the National Education Policy-2020 have contributed in enrolment at the elementary level. However, high enrolment rate has not translated into learning outcomes due to inadequate infrastructure, dearth of quality teachers and post pandemic disruptions. This study is an attempt to explore elementary education with reference to enrolment and reading skills. Based on secondary sources such as the report namely Women and Men in India published by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (Mo SPI) and ASER, the study focuses on trends in enrolment across gender and reading skills among elementary students over the past decade. Government interventions at elementary level have played a major role in bringing children into schools. However, learning outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Data from ASER (2014-2024) consistently showed that a good number of students enrolled in Std. VIII are unable to read the text of lower primary levels. Finally, the study underscores that educational development in India has entered a new phase where the challenge is no longer limited to ensuring school enrolment but extends to learning outcomes for every child. Although India has made remarkable progress in expanding elementary education,the persistence of low foundational literacy and numeracy indicates a gap between access and achievement.