While India celebrates space missions and technology milestones, a quieter crisis is unfolding in its classrooms—one that could define, or derail, the nation’s scientific future.
While India reaches for the Moon and builds world-class tech hubs, its classrooms tell a different story. National and independent surveys show that children’s performance in mathematics and science declines as they advance through school. Without urgent reforms, the nation risks wasting its demographic dividend and losing the race for future innovation.
A Wake-Up Call from the Global Stage
India’s last participation in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) was in 2009. The results were sobering:
• 73rd in mathematics (second from the bottom)
• 72nd in science
• 72nd in reading
PISA tests 15-year-olds on applying knowledge to real-life situations. Cultural factors were cited for the low scores, but the results highlighted a serious learning
gap. Since then, India has stayed out of the assessment, leaving us without updated global benchmarking.
The National Picture: Declining Scores with Age
The National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021, conducted by the Ministry of Education and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), tested 3.4 million students.
Mathematics – National averages out of 500:
• Class 3: 306 points (61.2%)
• Class 8: 255 points (51%)
• Class 10: 220 points (44%)
Science – National averages out of 500:
• Class 8: 250 points (50%)
• Class 10: 206 points (41.2%)
Performance in both subjects declines as students advance—exactly the opposite of what an education system should produce.
State-Level Disparities
The School Education Quality Index (SEQI) by NITI Aayog shows wide variation. In mathematics for Class 8:
• Best: Rajasthan (~57%)
• Several states: below 45%
• National average: under 50%
In aspirational districts, research shows science scores drop sharply from basic to advanced concepts, signalling weak conceptual understanding.
Rural Reality: ASER 2023–24
The Annual Status of Education Report offers a snapshot of rural India:
• 56.7% of 14–18-year-olds cannot do a basic three-digit ÷ one-digit division
• Only 43.3% solve arithmetic expected of 8–9-year-olds
• 25% cannot read a Class 2-level text in their own language
• 90% have smartphones, but two thirds report having used it for some education related activity during the reference week
A gender gap persists, with boys outperforming girls in arithmetic across all ages.
Screen Time & STEM: A Modern Challenge
While classroom performance is already under strain, another factor is silently weakening students’ analytical skills, excessive screen time. Researchers have linked prolonged exposure to digital devices, especially when combined with multitasking, to reduced executive functioning, weaker attention spans, and lower performance in mathematics and reading tests.
In India, a recent study found that ~83% of rural secondary school students exceed recommended daily screen time limits, with mobile phones being the most common device. Among children under the age of five, average daily screen time reaches 2.2 hours, more than double the global recommended maximum for that
age group.
Overall, Indians now spend an average of ~7 hours per day on internetconnected screens, compared with the global average of 6 hours 38 minutes. Among urban youth, this figure often exceeds 8 hours daily. This digital overload risks eroding exactly the kind of deep thinking, sustained focus, and problemsolving skills that STEM education seeks to cultivate.
The Street Maths Paradox
Research by Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo revealed that child vendors often outperform students in practical maths calculating percentages, discounts, and currency conversions quickly. Yet, when tested on written division, only 32% succeeded. This shows the education system is not building on natural problem-solving ability; it may even be eroding it.
Dropouts: The Silent Drain on STEM Talent
According to the latest government data (UDISE+ 2023-24 and Economic Survey 2024-25):
• Dropout rates climb steadily: 1.9% in primary, 5.2% in upper primary, and 14.1% in secondary
• Class 10 dropout rate remains above 20%
• Approximately 3 million students fail to progress to Class 11 annually
These represent future scientists, engineers, and innovators lost to the system.
Global Context: What We Miss by Staying Out
Other countries participate in global assessments such as PISA and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In TIMSS 2023:
• Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan ranked at the top, with large shares of students meeting advanced standards
• India’s absence means no global benchmarking or direct learning from best practices
Economic Costs of STEM Illiteracy
Poor STEM performance affects:
• Competitiveness: Limits India’s role in the global knowledge economy
• Innovation: Slows progress in technology, engineering, and science
• Poverty cycles: Restricts access to high-skill, well-paying jobs
The Way Ahead Experts recommend the following crucial steps:
1. Reenter global benchmarking: To gauge advancement and gain knowledge from top-performing systems, rejoin TIMSS and return to PISA
2. Incorporate real-world learning: Develop kids’ ability to solve problems in the real world.
3. Educate STEM educators: Address shortages and provide teachers with the tools they need to connect ideas to real-world applications.
4. Revamp assessments: Shift from memorisation to competency-based evaluation.
5. Close gaps: Take action against gender and regional differences in STEM education.
India’s young population is often called its greatest strength. But this strength is only real if matched by the quality of education. The data from NAS, ASER, UDISE+, NITI Aayog, and research studies is clear without urgent action, the gap in mathematics and science learning will keep widening.
This is not about pointing fingers; it is about recognising potential. The nation does not lack talent it lacks a system that can nurture it from early schooling to advanced research. Every year, without reform means millions more bright young Indians left behind. The question is not whether India can act it is whether it can afford not to.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own and do not reflect those of DNA)
