Learning “Loss” and Learning “Gain” in Primary School Years: What Do We Know from India That Can Help Us Think Forward in the COVID-19 Crisis?

Finding relevant evidence and connecting to appropriate experiences are both essential if we are to chart future plans in a realistic way. This note is an attempt to answer these questions using available data from Uttar Pradesh (India’s largest state). Children lose quite a bit over the summer months and hence the losses from extended COVID shutdowns are likely to be substantial. The gains from a typical year of schooling in Uttar Pradesh are modest. But there is optimism, as dedicated programmes focused on foundational learning—implemented in government schools at scale—can lead to the equivalent of a typical year of learning in just three months.