Q1. Reflecting on five years since the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and four years since the NIPUN Bharat Mission, how do you assess the momentum around FLN in states? What are the key shifts that you have observed in both policy and implementation at the ground level?

India’s demographic dividend hinges on how well we prepare ~25 crore school-going children for life and learning. If these students fail to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills, this lifetime opportunity will be lost. The transformational National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 confronts this challenge head-on. It is the first policy in decades to declare a national ‘learning crisis’, acknowledging that over five crore elementary students lack these basic skills. 

This clear-eyed recognition led to the launch of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat Mission in 2021, with an annual budget of ~₹2,700 crore (USD 328 million) allocated to all states for teaching and learning materials, teacher capacity building and the establishment of state and district-level project management units (PMUs). Subsequently, FLN emerged as the key priority in school education, as states launched their own NIPUN Missions. The momentum was further reinforced when the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, declared NIPUN Bharat as a national mission and underscored the importance of foundational literacy and numeracy, emphasising that for a child to eventually ‘read to learn’, they must first ‘learn to read’.  He highlighted that this important trajectory will be enabled and bridged through rigorous FLN efforts nationwide.

Following this, in March 2022, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conducted a large-scale, country-wide, Foundational Learning Study (FLS) to strengthen efforts for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) in India. A first-of-its-kind study worldwide, it covered 86,000 Grade 3 students from 10,000 government and private schools, setting benchmarks for reading comprehension in 20 Indian languages. All these efforts firmly placed FLN at the forefront of India’s education priorities.

In just four years, NIPUN has fundamentally changed how states approach early learning by setting clear learning goals, providing well-designed teaching and learning materials, building teacher capacity and using student learning assessments to drive decision-making. 

It is inspiring to see states now setting clear learning goals and aligning the entire system around them. Uttar Pradesh (UP), for example, developed ‘NIPUN Lakshyas’ (end-of-grade learning goals) and ‘NIPUN Soochi’ (topic-wise learning outcomes), which were disseminated to every teacher in the state. This kind of goal-setting gives direction and purpose to day-to-day classroom practice.

Many states have adopted a structured pedagogy approach, equipping teachers with proven teaching methods embedded in easy-to-use classroom resources. Utilising the dedicated annual NIPUN funding of ₹500 per student and ₹150 per teacher, a comprehensive teacher support package that includes daily lesson plans, student practice workbooks and print-rich reading materials has been created. States are also contextualising these resources to local needs: Assam and Odisha are developing multilingual materials, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are implementing multi-grade learning, and Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are incorporating formative assessments. By integrating these pedagogical tools into the curriculum, teachers can more effectively support student learning.

States have also made a significant investment in teacher capacity building. Telangana, for instance, used a teacher needs assessment to tailor its training, benefiting over 48,000 teachers, with 78% showing improvement in post-training assessments. Mentoring systems are also being strengthened, providing teachers with ongoing support in the classroom. Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (UP) have strengthened their mentor cadre to provide dedicated monitoring and coaching for FLN classrooms, augmented by a mobile app that automates classroom observations and spot assessment data analytics.  Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Tamil Nadu onboarded FLN fellows to strengthen district and block-level implementation. 

Finally, a sharp focus on data-driven governance ensures that foundational learning initiatives are closely monitored for adoption and effectiveness. States are leveraging NIPUN funds of up to ₹1 crore each to build project management units and conduct regular assessments. This data-driven approach is evident in states such as Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, where mentors utilise dedicated applications to conduct a high volume of real-time monitoring. Collectively, they perform nearly 1,60,000 classroom observations and 14.5 lakh spot assessments every month. 

Together, these shifts reflect how a large, complex system is learning to improve its outcomes.

Q2. Now that there is widespread consensus on the why of FLN and a strong national commitment to the how, how critical is it to strengthen NIPUN Bharat’s implementation at both the state and district levels? Additionally, how is CSF’s FLN approach aligned to ensure maximum impact for FLN on the ground?

NIPUN is arguably one of the complex largest-scaled education reforms being implemented not just in India and across the world. At the end of the day, learning happens in classrooms, not in policy documents. Therefore, we should ensure that every teacher has the right support to help each child learn. This requires that government systems at the national, state and local levels are aligned to deliver high-quality learning at the last mile. That is why strengthening the implementation of the NIPUN Bharat Mission is not just an education priority, it is an economic imperative. 

CSF works as a trusted enabler and catalytic advisor for system reform, aiming to strengthen foundational learning for all children in India. We work across the national, state and district levels to support the design and deployment of the NIPUN Bharat Mission. 

At the national level, we have been supporting the central government in driving strategic educational reforms. Over the years, we have contributed technical expertise, developed multilingual training content, streamlined implementation processes and supported data-driven decision-making, helping embed assessment reform into the core of India’s school education system. In 2024-25, we collaborated closely with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to advance India’s shift toward competency-based assessments, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Our support spanned the design and scale-up of Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning (SAFAL), including the piloting of SAFAL Foundational for Grade 3 and the successful rollout of the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan in 2024. 

At the state level, CSF drives collaborative efforts with 11 state governments and partners with the Departments of Education, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Office and the State Council of Educational Training and Research (SCERT) to design, roll out and monitor FLN missions. 

In each of these states, we operate through State Project Management Units (SPMUs) that support leadership from state education departments across all critical workstreams necessary to strengthen academic and governance inputs for FLN, including improving classroom materials and teacher capacity building, as well as establishing in-school mentorship. To strengthen outcomes, we enable the state to implement comprehensive monitoring systems, conduct regular assessments, undertake data-led reviews and develop a strong communication plan to foster political will. We also work closely in a coalition with mission-aligned technical partners who bring complementary capabilities. 

In India, districts are the locus for shifting practices in the last mile. Keeping this reality in mind, District Project Management Units (DPMUs) act as catalysts for high-fidelity implementation of state-led FLN missions in Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. Our work focuses on strengthening implementation by building mentor capacity, improving classroom pedagogy, and embedding data-driven decision-making. In Uttar Pradesh, our DPMUs have been able to strengthen systems across six districts with over 1,600 joint visits, 9,500 student assessments, and increased adoption of teacher guides. In Telangana during 2024-25, we expanded into the KADA region, achieved nearly 100% mentor school coverage, trained over 800 new teachers, and ran a parent engagement pilot that increased PTM attendance by up to 30 percentage points.

We understand that we have miles to go when it comes to transforming a large and complex education system like ours. By anchoring our support at national, state and district levels, we are working to make NIPUN Bharat not just a mission, but a movement, building the foundation for a truly Viksit Bharat.

Q3. In light of the significant milestones of four years of the NIPUN Bharat Mission and five years of NEP 2020, what are some of the best practices for sustaining and accelerating FLN progress in India’s diverse states?

The NIPUN Bharat Mission is already demonstrating tangible improvements in foundational learning across India. The ASER 2024 report highlights the most significant national gains in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) in over two decades, with literacy rising to 23.4% and numeracy to 27.6% since 2018. Impressive state-level achievements mirror this national trend. Madhya Pradesh recorded a 10 percentage point gain in early-grade literacy outcomes between 2023 and 2024. In Uttar Pradesh, 60 districts experienced a rise of at least 5 percentage points in reading proficiency among young students. 

This success is rooted in transformative changes within the classroom. Teachers are actively using new lesson plans and workbooks, which have enhanced their effectiveness while providing them with flexibility to adapt. For students, this means more targeted instruction and consistent reinforcement of key skills. Meanwhile, academic leaders now have tools to track learning and monitor progress, strengthening accountability and support across the system. In our experience across states there are several best-practices that we have learned that have strengthen FLN programs:

Sustained political ownership is critical. Like Swachh Bharat and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, NIPUN Bharat has the potential to become a flagship national mission. Uttar Pradesh’s strong outcomes reflect the power of committed leadership, anchored by the Chief Minister’s prioritisation of foundational learning as part of the state’s development agenda.

Empowering districts as the engine of delivery ensures real implementation. When district collectors and education officials integrate FLN into their planning, reviews and daily functioning, classroom-level impact follows. Local leadership brings energy, accountability and contextual solutions to the last mile.

Shifting from compliance to conviction unlocks teacher ownership. Administrative directives alone cannot deliver FLN. Teachers must understand the ‘why’ of foundational learning, be equipped with the ‘how’ for classroom practice and see themselves as key drivers of the mission. Intrinsic motivation, once sparked, is far more potent than any checklist.

Using data to inform, not just report, drives timely action. Spot assessments, classroom observations and tech-enabled dashboards are most effective when states can analyse and act on data. Robust data systems enable educators to make real-time instructional decisions aligned with students’ learning needs.

Engaging families and leveraging EdTech extends learning beyond school hours. Since children spend nearly 80% of their time at home, parental engagement and simple, personalised EdTech tools can reinforce learning. When teachers assign targeted tasks and parents are empowered to support and track progress, the learning ecosystem is complete.

These practices, rooted in leadership, teacher motivation, district action, data use and community engagement, can help translate the early gains of NIPUN Bharat into sustained impact

Q4. While the NIPUN Bharat Mission has laid a strong foundation for India’s FLN goals, what would you suggest as key ways to support state governments and other stakeholders in embedding FLN deeply into the education system and sustaining its momentum beyond 2026-27?

As India builds on the early gains of NIPUN Bharat, we need a bold, future-ready roadmap to sustain and scale its impact. In our view five critical steps need to be taken to embed FLN deeply into the education system and sustain its momentum beyond 2026-27.

First, extend NIPUN Bharat for another five years beyond 2027. With nearly 100% of funds already utilised by states, the demand is apparent. A longer runway will allow states to deepen interventions, ensure continuity and convert momentum into long-term learning outcomes.

Second, expand NIPUN to cover the complete foundational learning cycle, from Balvatika to Grade 5. A preparatory Balvatika year will give 5-year-olds the proper head start and extending NIPUN through upper primary will help sustain learning gains and ensure students enter middle school with confidence and readiness.

Third, equip districts as the frontline of FLN delivery. Dedicated district-level FLN units — funded, staffed and reviewed regularly — can ensure fidelity in last-mile implementation. They are best placed to drive teacher capacity, classroom adoption and localised problem-solving.

Fourth, institutionalise an annual oral assessment, similar to the 2022 Foundational Learning Study. Simple, robust tools that measure early language and numeracy skills will help benchmark progress, identify learning gaps early and trigger timely course corrections.

Ultimately, fostering political and community ownership is crucial to achieving sustained impact. Strong leadership, both at the national and state levels, will keep FLN high on the development agenda. Equally important is grassroots ownership; imagine panchayats holding NIPUN Gram Sabhas, schools sharing at-home learning kits with parents and local champions celebrating student milestones. That is how we turn a mission into a movement.

At CSF, our role will be to partner deeply with governments, both at the state and district levels, to help bring this vision to life. We are committed to supporting system leaders, enabling high-quality classroom practice and embedding FLN into the DNA of India’s school system so that every child learns and India realises its vision of Viksit Bharat.