Noida: The district has recorded a sharp fall in its NIPUN assessment performance in govt schools this year, with only 123 of 420 schools, or 29%, achieving NIPUN status, according to the annual report. The district now ranks 70th in the state. In neighbouring Ghaziabad, only 65 of 365 schools qualified, placing it among the lowest-performing districts
The drop is particularly stark for Noida, which saw a stronger performance last year with 330 of 378 schools meeting the NIPUN benchmark, which assesses the basic numeracy skills and reading skills of classes 1 to 4 students.
“In Bisrakh, only 19 of 117 schools were found proficient. In Jewar, 93 schools were assessed, but only 15 were found proficient. These two blocks achieved a mere 16% success. Dadri and Dankaur blocks fared a little better. About 51% of schools in Dadri and 35% in Dankaur achieved Nipun status,” said a DIET official.
Across the state, Hardoi, Aligarh and Shahjahanpur emerged as top performers in terms of the number of NIPUN schools, while Hapur, Ghaziabad and Baghpat have found themselves at the tail end.
The report also points to a widening gap between top-performing districts and tailenders. Aligarh (66%), Kasganj (64%) and Maharajganj (61%) schools have recorded relatively high levels of foundational learning, in contrast to Noida’s 29% and Ghaziabad’s 17%. The disparity is notable as both districts are part of the National Capital Region and have comparatively better infrastructure than many largely rural districts.
Teachers claim that the decline is largely due to increasing non-academic responsibilities. “A significant portion of our time was spent on duties like SIR work and BLO assignments this year, which directly affects classroom teaching,” said a govt school teacher in Noida. A teacher from Ghaziabad said that frequent administrative and election-related duties disrupt regular teaching, affecting focus on foundational literacy and numeracy.
“The results haven’t met expectations. We will analyse the shortcomings. A meeting with teachers will soon be held to formulate a future strategy,” said Rahul Panwar, BSA, Noida.
