Shimla/New Delhi, 29 January 2025: Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Kerala have emerged as the top-performing states in school education, according to the 2024 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER).
The survey, conducted across 268 schools, recorded important improvements in literacy, digital access, and arithmetic proficiency over the past two years.
Among the three leading states, Himachal Pradesh ranked third in Class 8 reading proficiency, with 84.2% of students meeting expected levels—behind Mizoram (90.1%) and Kerala (84.5%).
The state also secured the third position in digital literacy, with 94.3% of students having access to smartphones. Additionally, it ranked third in library book availability, with 96.3% of schools providing reading resources, following Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Notable Gains in Arithmetic and School Facilities
Government school students in Himachal Pradesh showed marked improvement in arithmetic skills, with proficiency rising from 31.3% in 2022 to 46.7% in 2024—an increase of 15.4%.
The overall state-wide improvement across all schools in arithmetic was 13.8%, while private schools saw a 9.2% increase.
The survey also indicated progress in school infrastructure. The percentage of schools serving mid-day meals rose from 91.1% to 95.5%, and those with drinking water facilities increased from 88.9% to 90.4%. While 99% of schools have toilets, only 90% were deemed usable.
Despite these gains, the percentage of children aged 6-14 enrolled in government schools slightly declined from 58.9% in 2022 to 58.6% in 2024.
More worrying is the rise in dropouts among 15-16-year-olds, which increased from 2.2% to 3%.
Himachal Pradesh also lags in pupil-teacher ratio, currently at 58.1%. While this reflects an improvement from 47.5% in 2022, it remains high compared to several other states.
With Mizoram, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh leading in key education metrics, the ASER report underscores the shifting landscape of school education in India, marking both achievements and areas needing further intervention.
