As we all know, the importance of education, especially primary-level education, plays a vital role in children\'s lives. Govt of India has launched the NIPUN Bharat Mission. This is important because its primary goal of ensure that all children in the country acquire essential reading and numeracy skills by the end of Grade 3.

NIPUN, which stands for the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy, aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 objectives. The NEP emphasises achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary schools by 2025, considering it the foremost priority. The successful attainment of this fundamental learning requirement, encompassing reading, writing, and arithmetic at the foundational level, serves as a prerequisite for implementing the broader aspects of the education policy.

In pursuit of this objective, the Ministry of Education will establish a National Mission focusing on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as a top priority. Every State/UT government will promptly formulate an implementation strategy. This plan will outline the steps to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy across all primary schools, specifying stage-wise targets and goals to be accomplished by 2025. Rigorous monitoring and tracking mechanisms will be in place to ensure the progress aligns with the set objectives.

What is the NIPUN Bharat Mission?

The NIPUN Bharat Mission, an abbreviation for the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy, represents a holistic educational endeavour introduced by the Ministry of Education in India. NIPUN Bharat scheme was initiated in July 2021 to ensure that all children in the country acquire essential reading and numeracy skills by the end of Grade 3, aiming to achieve this objective by the academic year 2026-2027. The NIPUN Bharat scheme strongly emphasises foundational skills, particularly in reading and mathematics, which are fundamental for a child’s overall educational development.

Objectives of NIPUN Bharat Mission

The implementation of NIPUN Bharat at the national level will be overseen by the Department of School Education and Literacy, a part of the Ministry of Education (MoE), with a designated Mission Director at the helm. In the following sections, we will delve into the objectives of the NIPUN Bharat scheme:

• To establish an inclusive classroom by integrating pedagogies centred on play, discovery, and activities, connecting them to children\'s daily life situations, and formally incorporating the languages spoken at students\' homes.

• To empower children to evolve into motivated, independent, and involved readers and writers equipped with sustainable reading, writing, and comprehension skills.

• To help children comprehend the logic behind numbers, measurement, and shapes, fostering their independence in problem-solving through developing numeracy and spatial understanding skills.

• To ensure availability and effective usage of high-quality and culturally responsive teaching learning material in the mother language.

• To focus on continuous capacity building of teachers, head teachers, academic resource persons and education administrators.

• To actively engage with all stakeholders, i.e., Teachers, Parents, Students and Community policymakers, to build a strong foundation of lifelong learning.

• To ensure assessment as of and for learning through portfolios, group and collaborative work, project work, quizzes, role plays, games, oral presentations, short tests, etc.

Benefits of NIPUN Bharat Mission

• NIPUN Yojna will emphasise children\'s Literacy and Numeracy for 3 to 9 years.

• NIPUN Scheme supports students in preschools to class 3.

• NIPUN aims to complete their private and Government-aided schools by 2026-27.

• Under the NIPUN Bharat scheme, Children in Class 4 and 5 without foundational skills and studying will be offered peer support.

• Tutor guidance and additional learning materials to strengthen their educational proficiency.

NIPUN Bharat Guidelines

1. Foundational Language and Literacy

A strong language foundation at home, exposure to school language, listening skills, print and phonological awareness, and emergent literacy skills in preschool are crucial for early primary school literacy development.

2. Foundational Numeracy and Mathematics Skills

Foundational Numeracy means reasoning and applying simple numerical concepts in daily problem-solving. Developing pre-number and number concepts, knowledge and skills of comparing, seriation, classification and recognising patterns during preschool is a foundation for mathematics learning in early primary classes.

3. Teaching Learning: Focus on the Learning of the Child

In India, many first-generation learners lack a literacy environment. Teachers prioritise phonological awareness, sound discrimination, visual skills, and enhancing reading, writing, and foundational math through diverse activities.

4. Shifting towards Competency-Based Learning

When children from diverse backgrounds having different learning needs enter the formal school, All students are anticipated to be prepared for grade-level content standards within a time-constrained learning system, emphasising competency-based learning with a focus on student learning outcomes.

5. Learning Assessment

The foundational learning period, spanning FYL-1 to FYL-6 (ages 3 to 9), is crucial for developing intellect, abilities, physical and mental growth, and values. Assessments aim to support each child\'s learning, recognising variations across developmental areas influenced by individual responses and functions in diverse social and cultural contexts.

6. School Readiness/School Preparation Module

School readiness, vital for equitable education and enhanced learning, involves children acquiring essential skills and knowledge. The National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Curriculum Framework by the Ministry of Women and Child Development guides this preparation, emphasising collaborative efforts among children, schools, and families for a seamless educational journey.

Conclusion 

NIPUN Bharat stands poised to transform the educational landscape, emphasising foundational literacy and numeracy. This article has discussed the NIPUN Bharat guidelines and benefits. By fostering inclusive classrooms, nurturing linguistic diversity, and promoting interactive pedagogies, the mission aims to empower learners for a lifelong journey of knowledge. It underscores collaboration, continuous improvement, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring a holistic and equitable educational foundation.