FLN priority statement – UGC NET Question

NEP 2020 clearly states that ensuring all children achieve basic reading and numeracy skills by the end of Grade 3 is the single most urgent task in education. Without FLN at this stage, children are unable to follow later classes and tend to fall irreversibly behind. Therefore, FLN by Grade 3 is treated as the foundation on which all subsequent learning and reforms depend.

Option A:
This option is incorrect because it suggests FLN can wait until secondary school, whereas research and NEP both stress that the window for acquiring basic literacy and numeracy is in the early primary years. Delaying FLN means children will face years of schooling without understanding, leading to dropout and poor learning outcomes.

Option B:
This option is correct because it captures the strong language of NEP 2020, which describes FLN by Grade 3 as the “highest priority” and basis for all other educational goals. The policy even proposes a dedicated national mission to ensure every child reaches this benchmark on time.

Option C:
This option is wrong because FLN is not a luxury for “high achievers”; it is a basic right and requirement for every child. If only a small group mastered FLN, the system would remain highly unequal and the majority of students would fail to benefit from later schooling.

Option D:
This option is incorrect because FLN is needed across all subjects and in daily life, not just in science. Reading with understanding and handling simple numbers are essential for languages, social sciences, everyday transactions and informed citizenship for every learner.