Q1. India’s education policies have historically shifted based on political priorities and global influences. What factors are currently shaping the priorities of our education system?

India’s current education priorities are being shaped by a decisive convergence of economic imperatives, global evidence and high-level political commitment, all pointing toward learning outcomes as central to national development.

At the global level, multilateral institutions have been driving the agenda of quality education consistently. The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) elevated quality education to a global priority through SDG4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.  This was reinforced by the World Bank and UNESCO’s Learning Poverty Indicator, which revealed that 53% of children in low- and middle-income countries like India, Egypt, Indonesia etc. and 80% of children in poor countries like Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo etc. could not read and understand a simple story by the end of primary school. Simultaneously, there was growing evidence globally which pointed towards the long-term impact of FLN on national economies, future earnings of children and improving health indicators.

At a national level, the government took cognizance of the various assessments that reflected this learning crisis. The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) began the National Achievement Survey (NAS) from 2001 which highlighted the need for significant improvement in learning outcomes. Pratham had been releasing their Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) since 2005, revealing consistently low levels of learning outcomes among primary school children.

India started noticing these assessment results and found itself aligned with this worldwide shift. This created a unique ‘Overton Window’ for reform which culminated in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which made foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) a national priority which led to the launch of the NIPUN Bharat Mission 2021.

This shift has now crystallised into concrete action at the highest levels of government. The theme of the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries is Human Capital for a Viksit Bharat and would focus on the pillars of early childhood education and schooling, among others.

Q2. The focus on foundational literacy and numeracy is now a national priority. How is this translating into concrete action on the ground through the NIPUN Bharat Mission?

The NIPUN Bharat mission has moved India’s education system from intention to implementation. With ~Rs. 2,500 crores allocated annually and rigorous implementation over four years, we are witnessing measurable progress. According to PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, Grade 3 students scored 64% in language and 60% in Mathematics, significantly outperforming their older peers in Grades 6 and 9. Even more remarkably, Grade 3 students in state government schools are outperforming their private school peers. The ASER 2024 findings reinforce this trend, showing that the percentage of Grade 3 children who can read a Grade 2 text and perform simple subtraction has increased by 6 and 10 percentage points respectively since 2014.

But how are states achieving this? The Mission has empowered states to translate policy into evidence-based action through three key enablers. 

First, clarity on purpose and pathway. States now have precise learning outcome frameworks that define exactly what children should master in reading, writing and numeracy at each stage. To achieve these goals, teachers have been equipped with structured time-tables, intuitive guides and practical tools which help them teach better  in the classrooms and help their children meet the defined learning competencies. Take the example of Uttar Pradesh, they have developed NIPUN Soochi, a set of competency indicators, paired with NIPUN Talika, a classroom progress chart that teachers use daily to track every child’s learning. This is complemented by a comprehensive 25-week teacher guide with daily lesson plans which ensure instruction is predictable and competency-focused.

Second, sustained teacher capacity building. States have ensured that teacher training moves away from being a one-off event towards an ongoing system. Madhya Pradesh, for example, directly trained 1.78 lakh teachers at the block level. This was complemented by a strong mentoring architecture. With 6,500 mentors conducting 60,000 school visits monthly, teachers received real-time, actionable feedback on their classroom practices. 

Third, data driven course correction. States have embedded regular monitoring into the teaching cycle itself. Weekly formative assessments allow teachers to identify learning gaps and take immediate remedial action. States like Telangana follow a 5+1 structure where there are five days of instruction and 1 day of assessment. Over and above this, mentors conduct spot assessments during visits, triggering on-the-spot discussion about next-steps with the teacher. Annual state-level assessments provide the big-picture to the state, informing systemic interventions and training priorities. All of this data collection is done digitally, providing real-time progress monitoring for all stakeholders.

Through all these enablers, state governments now have the right infrastructure in place to ensure that  no child is left behind in the foundational years.

Q3. There are other countries which have followed similar trajectories. What is the long-term impact that we have seen?

The evidence is unequivocal: foundational literacy and numeracy is critical for reshaping a nation’s trajectory.

Short-term gains can be dramatic and achievable at scale. Kenya’s Tusome program (2015-2019) more than doubled Grade 2 English fluency from 12% to 27%. Brazil’s Sobral municipality transformed Grade 2 literacy from 48% to 92% in just four years (2000-2004). Mexico’s Puebla state rose to top national rankings within seven years (2008-2015). These successes share common elements: clear learning goals, structured teaching materials, robust teacher support and regular assessment which are the same pillars India is now building through NIPUN Bharat.

But the truly transformative impact unfolds over decades. South Korea’s story is perhaps the most powerful testament to this. In 1945, adult literacy stood at just 22%. The government made a defining choice to guarantee six years of quality education to every child with intensive focus on foundational reading and mathematics. Through this prioritisation, South Korea laid the foundation for its ‘economic miracle’. Today, literacy is virtually universal, the country ranks 15th globally in GDP and South Korean students consistently top international mathematics and science assessments.

Vietnam tells a similar story. Since 1990, alongside annual GDP growth of 5-7%, Vietnam pursued systematic education reforms centered on foundational competencies. As a result, Vietnamese students now outperform not just every country in their income group, but many OECD nations on international assessments. Mean years of schooling for Vietnamese adults exceeds what their per capita income would predict. Strong teacher quality and unwavering focus on early-grade competencies made education central to Vietnam’s economic modernisation.

The mechanism behind these successes is now well-documented. Longitudinal research from South Africa, tracking students from a foundational literacy programme implemented in 2015-2017, found impacts persisting seven years later. Students showed sustained improvements in home language literacy even four years after the programme ended. More remarkably, they demonstrated new skills not directly taught, including enhanced English written comprehension, proving that foundational abilities unlock higher-order learning. The South Africa study also showed improved grade progression, reduced dropouts and smoother transitions to secondary school, with the strongest benefits for the most at-risk students.

The lesson for India is clear: investing in foundational learning today can build human capital that compounds over lifetimes and transforms economies over generations. The early results from NIPUN Bharat suggest India has begun this journey.

Q4. How do you see Foundational Learning (FLN) as a segue into the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047? In what ways can improving early learning outcomes accelerate India’s long-term growth and equity goals?

India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 will be determined by the capabilities of its workforce. India will contribute an estimated 950 million workers by 2047, one quarter of the global workforce. Whether this demographic dividend biomes an economic advantage or unrealised potential depends on foundational learning decisions we make today.

Consider India’s current paradox. Between 2019-20 to 2023-24, employment grew from 53.44 crore to 64.33 crore, with unemployment at 4.9%. The challenge isn’t job creation, it’s productivity. Only 56.35% of graduates are employable, meaning nearly half lack the skills needed for productive work despite formal qualifications.

Strong foundational learning addresses this at the root, moving the system from a repair mindset into a prepare mindset. Global research shows a one-standard-deviation increase in foundational learning reduces youth unemployment by 4.7 to 5.7 percentage points and correlates with 2% higher annual economic growth. Children who master reading comprehension and basic mathematics by Grade 3 are up to 63% less likely to drop out between ages 12 and 15. They complete their education, acquire technical skills, and become productive workers who adapt to evolving economic demands.

The NIPUN Bharat Mission represents India’s systematic approach to building a strong foundation for economic growth. The early evidence shows progress. Sustaining this effort will be central to realising Viksit Bharat 2047.

Q5. As we look toward NIPUN 2.0, what should be the focus areas to deepen and sustain learning outcomes across states? What kinds of systemic enablers — policy, capacity or data-driven — will be most critical in this next phase?

As NIPUN Bharat enters its next phase, the focus must shift from building foundations to deepening impact. We have established the infrastructure, what is needed now is to leverage it more effectively to sustain and accelerate learning outcomes across states.

Strengthening governance structures is critical for sustained momentum. The NIPUN Bharat Mission Guidelines call for a National Steering Committee to monitor progress. Reactivating this committee with broader membership to include Ministry officials, civil society organisations and industry partners would enable a whole-of-society approach to assess progress, identify challenges and promote cross-state learning. At the state level, institutionalising State Steering Committees can support districts in addressing implementation challenges, facilitate partnerships with local NGOs and drive contextualised innovations. These committees could also drive convergence between different departments to improve implementation fidelity.

Embedding data-driven decision-making across all administrative levels will sharpen our focus on outcomes. Vidya Samiksha Kendras (VSK) could expand beyond learning outcomes data to systematically collect accountability metrics like student and teacher attendance, delivery of teaching-learning materials, teacher guide usage and teacher performance. Making this data accessible to officials at district, block and school levels will incentivise best performers and enable targeted interventions.

All states now also have formative assessment and teacher training mechanisms in place. We can leverage these existing systems to train teachers on using formative assessment data to inform daily instruction and design remedial interventions. This turns assessment from compliance into a tool for improving learning.

Strategic budgetary enhancements will determine our ability to scale and sustain impact. Three investments are essential.

First, expanding the Mission from Balvatika-Grade 2 to include Grades 3-5, is critical for consolidating foundational learning. An annual allocation of INR 400 to INR 500 crore can facilitate this expansion.

Second, addressing the early childhood education gap. With 64% of children in the 5-6 age cohort outside the Anganwadi system, we are leaving critical years unaddressed. Allocating 5% of the Samagra Shiksha budget to establish Balvatikas in schools with enrolments above 200, staffed with dedicated ECE educators, will prevent early learning gaps from taking root.

Third, investing approximately INR 250 crore annually in Information, Education and Communications activities. Schools with strong community and parental engagement are ten times more likely to improve learning outcomes. This investment can empower existing School Management Committees (SMCs) to ensure successful mission implementation at the block level, building community ownership of learning outcomes.

The path forward is clear. Strengthen governance for coordination, embed data systems for accountability and invest strategically in coverage and community engagement. NIPUN 2.0 will not be about reinventing the wheel but making the systems we have built work harder and reach further to ensure every child acquires foundational capabilities.

About Romonika D Sharan

Romonika currently assumes the role of Project Director, Policy & Communications at CSF. Prior to CSF, she worked for the Government of India for over two decades at senior policy-making levels. Earlier in her career, she was associated closely with the education sector, teaching at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, where she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in English Literature. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, creating mosaics, and learning new languages.