Can Bridging the Learning Gap Improve Test Scores on a Key National Exam? Evidence from a Remedial Education Program in Indian Secondary Schools

Gaurav Chiplunkar, Diva Dhar and Radhika Nagesh

Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2026, vol. 74, issue 3, 861 - 885

Abstract: We evaluate an innovative remedial education program targeted at secondary school students in India and find substantial gains in basic literacy and numeracy skills. However, these improvements do not translate into better test scores on a high-stakes national exam. In fact, even students with severe learning deficits perform reasonably well on the exam, raising questions about its ability to meaningfully assess student proficiency. These findings highlight the promise of remedial programs, implemented even in advanced grades, but suggest a misalignment between learning and assessment. As education systems scale promising interventions, reliable assessments of student ability through national exams are a critical challenge, reflecting the need for an assessment reform.

Date: 2026
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