Pragati

Pragati from Room to Read India Trust

Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) are a key priority in Uttarakhand, India, but fragmented tools and processes have made it difficult to translate intent into impact. Teachers lack structured tools to consistently track student learning, while education officials struggle with unstandardised, rudimentary monitoring methods that hinder timely, focused interventions during school visits. These challenges compound at the system level, with a gap between classroom data and state-level insights, making it difficult for decision-makers to coordinate efforts, allocate resources effectively, and drive meaningful improvements in learning outcomes. 

Pragati, an FLN assessment and classroom observation app, is a scalable digital solution designed to address this challenge by enabling regular classroom-based assessments, real-time system-wide visibility into learning outcomes, and structured academic support through a streamlined monitoring process, all through a single platform. 

At its core, Pragati empowers teachers to conduct classroom assessments using a simple, Android-based mobile app. Fully functional offline, the app enables teachers, even in remote areas, to capture student-level data in real time. Teachers can track which children are meeting learning outcomes and identify areas needing additional support. This transforms assessment from an occasional, high-stakes exercise into a continuous, formative process that directly informs day-to-day teaching. 

At the system level, Pragati’s web-based dashboard translates classroom data into real-time, actionable insights for education officials. Whether at the school, block, district, or state level, stakeholders can view trends, identify gaps, and plan targeted interventions with precision. The dashboard supports disaggregated analysis, making it easier to focus support where it is needed most. 

Pragati also includes an assessment builder, a flexible tool that allows SCERT to manage and update assessment items. This gives the state full control over the solution and enables continued iteration to meet evolving learning needs. 

Beyond assessments, Pragati also serves as a tool for academic mentoring and monitoring. During school visits, officials from DIETs or Samagra Shiksha use the app to observe classrooms and fill out standardised observation forms, capturing qualitative and quantitative data on classroom practices. This ensures that classroom observations become part of a consistent, structured system for academic support, rather than isolated exercises. 

Thus, teachers use Pragati to assess students’ FLN competencies and adapt instruction, while academic officials use it to observe classrooms, mentor teachers and monitor FLN programme implementation. Administrators and policymakers rely on the data dashboard to make informed decisions and design targeted interventions. 

In the last two years, Pragati’s Classroom Observation and Monitoring aspect has been adopted by the government of Uttarakhand statewide. Monthly monitoring targets using Pragati, mandated by the state, enable district and block officials to track classroom health and prioritise support for schools, based on the insights emanating from the dashboard linked to the app. As of 2024, 2333 school visits covering approximately 1400 schools was conducted through the Pragati app.