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At a time when the Tamil Nadu government is fighting hard against the Centre to not implement the National Education Policy 2020, the learning outcome survey conducted by the State Planning Commission shows a dip in the students performance in Maths and Science.

The first of its kind state level survey by the state planning commission that tested 9.80 lakh students in classes 3, 5 and 8 has found that the average mark scored by the class 8 students has barely crossed 40 percent. The survey has covered more than 66 percent of the students enrolled in classes 3, 5 and 8.

Called The State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS) 2025 the survey has assessed the learning outcomes of students in classes 3, 5, and 8 in all 45,924 government and government-aided schools across Tamil Nadu. The findings have come out with in-depth data on the subject-wise performance. They highlight progress in foundational learning and identified areas requiring interventions. The survey is considered to be a critical tool for evidence-based planning to improve student learning outcomes statewide.

As per the report which was submitted by the state planning commission with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the average scores of the students in all subjects in classes 3, 5 and 8 have gone up except for mathematics in class 3 and mathematics and science in class 8. In class 3, the score in mathematics has declined from 57 to 54 percent. While in class 8 the students scored 38 percent in mathematics and 37 percent in science.

Compared to the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2011, the average scores of the students in all subjects in classes 3, 5 and 8, according to the SLAS, have gone up. But in class 3, in mathematics the score has declined from 57 percent to 54 percent.

However, the survey has found improvements in all other subjects when compared to the NAS. It is 67 percent in Tamil, 69 percent in English and 76 percent in environmental science or EVS as it is called. In maths the students were found to be lacking in foundational numeracy.

In class 5 while the scores have improved across all the subjects compared to NAS, there was a dip in the score in English. In Tamil the score was 76 percent and it stood at 57 percent each both in maths and EVS. But there was a lag in English as per SLAS with an average score of 51 percent.

The report pointed out the need for interventions in English in class 5, maths and science in class 8 and maths and EVS in class 3.

As per SLAS’s district-wise performance data, Kanniyakumari, Cuddalore, Madurai, Tenkasi and Sivagangai were the top-performing districts in Tamil Nadu. While districts like Nilgiris, Erode, Chengalpattu, Chennai and Coimbatore performed poorly apart from the districts located in North and West Tamil Nadu.