Longitudinal analysis finds significant learning loss and recovery in Grade 3 students in Manipur, highlighting disparities across demographic groups.
This study presents a longitudinal analysis of foundational learning outcomes among Grade 3 students in Manipur, using data from the National Achievement Survey (NAS) cycles of 2017, 2021, and 2024. The findings reveal a three-phase trajectory: a pre-pandemic baseline, significant learning loss during the pandemic, and a strong post-pandemic recovery. Between 2017 and 2021, overall scores in Language dropped from 71% to 64% and in Mathematics from 68% to 57%, reflecting an average 8-percentage-point decline attributed to school closures, digital inaccessibility, and socio-economic barriers. However, by 2024, language scores had rebounded to 71% and mathematics to 66%, demonstrating a 6.5-point overall recovery. Disaggregated data highlight persistent disparities. Boys experienced a 9-point drop (2017–2021) versus 7 points for girls, though girls outperformed boys across all three cycles. Rural students faced sharper declines than urban peers but surpassed urban performance in 2024 (Language: 73% rural vs. 65% urban). SC and ST groups showed the steepest losses in Mathematics (SC: -16%, ST: -14%) but demonstrated substantial gains by 2024. Competency-wise, reading comprehension and spatial reasoning exhibited continued deficits (e.g., L304 fell from 71% in 2017 to 64% in 2024; M309 from 88% to 43%). The study underscores the efficacy of post-pandemic interventions under NIPUN Bharat and calls for sustained remedial programs, teacher training, curriculum reform, digital equity, and targeted support for disadvantaged groups to bridge enduring learning gaps.
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Singh et al. (2025) studied this question.
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