Majority of Telangana primary students struggle with basics

A midline FLN assessment has revealed that most primary school students in Telangana lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. Over 80 per cent struggle with mathematics and language competencies, raising serious concerns about teaching quality despite marginal improvements since the baseline assessment.

Hyderabad: For majority of students in Telangana primary schools, learning basics has become a herculean task, as more than 82 per cent failed to achieve competencies in mathematics, and English reading and writing skills. Similarly, 79 per cent of the primary students are also struggling with Telugu/Urdu reading and writing skills.

These alarming statistics have come to fore in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) midline assessment, which was conducted from November 25 to 30, 2026, for the academic year 2025-26, a report that has recently been released by the Education department.

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Furthermore, despite spending five years in the schools, more than 70 per cent of the Class V students do not have English writing skills and cannot do a simple mathematical division. This assessment has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of teaching and learning in the primary schools across the State.

The learning gaps are not limited to a simple mathematical division. The data show that close to 60 per cent of Class V students struggle to do simple multiplication of two numbers. Similarly, about 65 per cent of the students are not competent in Telugu/Urdu writing skills.

As for Class IV students, about 80 per cent failed to do mathematical division and another 64 per cent lacked multiplication skill, and 75 per cent students from the same grade lacked English writing skill.

Performance from the Class III is no better than 88 per cent failed to do a simple mathematical division. However, 66.1 per cent and 48.5 per cent could do addition and subtraction, respectively.

As per the report, primary school students in the midline assessment improved compared to baseline assessment. Overall, students’ competency in Telugu/Urdu reading and writing improved from 9.9 per cent to 20.9 per cent, English reading and writing skills from 7.5 per cent to 17.2 per cent and mathematical skills from 6.5 per cent to 16.9 per cent.

“While individual competencies have shown improvement, when taking a look at the percentage of students who are competent in all competencies assessed in respective subjects, it remains less than 20 per cent,” the report said.

Competencies respective in subjects at primary school level

Telugu/Urdu

• Midline assessment: 17.2 %
• Baseline assessment: 9.9%

English

• Midline assessment: 17.2 %
• Baseline assessment: 7.5 %

Mathematics

• Midline assessment: 16.9 %
• Baseline assessment: 6.5%

Class I and II

• Competencies assessed
• Telugu/Urdu and English: Word reading, oral reading fluency and writing
• Mathematics: Number identification and comparison, addition and subtraction

Classes III, IV and V

• Competencies assessed
• Telugu/Urdu and English: Oral reading fluency, reading comprehension and writing
• Mathematics: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division