India’s school education system has seen multiple reforms since Independence, yet the crisis in learning outcomes persists. While access has expanded, with enrolment over 95% in most states, India’s foundational literacy remains low. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) yet again highlights how nearly half of class 5 students struggle to read a simple class 2 text. 

The problem is not new, but its urgency is only growing. Unlike China, which reaped the benefits of strategic investments in elementary education over decades in the 20th century, India is yet to take a data-driven approach to school education reform. The country’s absence from global assessments like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) since 2009 only delays the reality check we need. Without a structured approach to assess and course-correct, systemic change will remain distant.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 acknowledges these gaps and proposes significant reforms — from third-party assessments to technology integration in K-12 (kindergarten to class 12). However, execution still lags. None of the four key themes of the NEP can be addressed in silos. An education system that struggles at........

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