ASER: rural Class 5 children who can read Class 2 text

ASER is the largest annual citizen-led rural learning assessment in India, covering 600+ districts. The decline from 56.2% (2008) to 43.3% (2022) is a major concern: more children are enrolled in school but fewer can read at grade level. COVID-19 school closures (2020-21) caused a sharp regression in learning. The 2022 ASER noted partial recovery in some states but overall foundational learning at multi-year lows. NEP 2020 and NIPUN Bharat (2021) specifically target foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3 — outcomes will take years to measure. This indicator is a critical counterweight to enrollment and access progress.