Aims and Targets

NIPUN Bharat stands for National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy. It was launched on 5 July 2021 by the Ministry of Education under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, with the goal that every child attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3 by 2026-27.

The essentials

Why the mission exists

Survey after survey found children in Class 5 unable to read a Class 2 text or do simple division. Once a child falls behind in reading and number sense in the first years, everything built on them fails, and the gap widens each year. NIPUN Bharat targets exactly those first years, on the reasoning that this is the cheapest and most decisive point at which to intervene.

The structure of the mission

• Implementation runs at five levels: national, state, district, block and school.
• Learning is described through the three developmental goals of NCF-FS: health and well-being, effective communicators, involved learners.
• Expected competencies are laid out as Lakshya or learning goals for each year from Balvatika to Grade 3.
• Teacher capacity is built through NISHTHA-FLN training, and teaching-learning material is supplied for early grades.
• Progress is tracked through school-based assessment and periodic surveys rather than a single examination.

What it asks of a Classes 1-3 teacher

• Give the largest share of daily time to reading, writing and number work.
• Use the child's home language for early reading, with plenty of oral language before print.
• Keep print material, story cards and manipulatives within children's reach.
• Track each child against the year's goals and give immediate remedial support.
• Involve parents in daily reading at home, even where parents are not literate, through picture talk and story telling.

✗ NIPUN Bharat aims at foundational learning up to Class 5.  |  ✓ The target is foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3.

Frequently asked questions

What is the full form of NIPUN Bharat?

National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy. It is a national mission launched in July 2021 under the Samagra Shiksha scheme of the Ministry of Education.

What is the target of NIPUN Bharat?

That every child in the country attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, with the target year set as 2026-27. The mission covers children from three to nine years, that is Balvatika to Grade 3.

Why is foundational literacy and numeracy considered so important?

Because everything learnt later depends on it. A child who cannot read with understanding or handle basic number work by Class 3 falls further behind every year, and the gap becomes very difficult and expensive to close afterwards.