Comparing the National Achievement Survey (NAS) conducted by the NCERT and the Pratham/ASER Centre’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) offers valuable insights into the education landscape of India. These two major periodic assessments serve distinct purposes and are conducted in significantly different ways.
NAS is a comprehensive school-based survey conducted across all districts of India, encompassing both urban and rural areas. It provides a national perspective by assessing a large sample of learners in government, government-aided, and private schools. In contrast, ASER is a household-based survey focusing primarily on rural districts. In its 2023 edition, ASER covered 28 districts across 26 states.
The administration methods of these surveys also diverge. NAS employs a pen-and-paper approach, assessing students through multiple-choice questions designed to target specific subject and grade learning outcomes. The tool development process for NAS follows rigorous protocols akin to international surveys like PISA. On the other hand, ASER conducts face-to-face assessments using the same tools annually.
Moreover, the domains assessed by NAS are competency-based, evaluating students in language, mathematics, and EVS for grades 3 and 5, and in language, mathematics, science, and social science for grades 8 and 10. In contrast, ASER focuses on basic reading and arithmetic abilities across different age groups, making it age-specific rather than grade-specific.
In summary, NAS and ASER serve complementary roles in understanding the state of education in India. While NAS provides a comprehensive national perspective through school-based assessments, ASER offers insights into basic learning outcomes with its household-based approach. Comparing the two surveys sheds light on the diverse educational challenges and achievements across different regions and demographics of the country.
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