Full recovery from learning loss A lot has changed since the pandemic impacted school education, according to ASER 2024, released on Tuesday. Here are some of the major findings: Rise in govt school enrolment seen during pandemic reversed Proportion of 6-14 yearolds enrolled in govt schools down from 72.9% in 2022 to 66.8% in 2024 chennai l wednesday l january 29, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 26 l late city EDITION Pandemic-induced learning loss is history Proportion of kids in Class III able to read at Class II level up from 20.5% in 2022 to 27.1% in 2024 14-16 years use 76% Children aged for social media | P9, 13 smartphones CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI In first call, Don nudges Modi to buy US weapons 13 devis honoured (From top left) Vishnuvardhan (film director who received the award on behalf of his wife Anu Vardhan), G Brinda (choreographer and director), Arundhathi Subramaniam (poet and author); (2nd row) Omana Thomas (educator), Presents Rajavalli Rajiv (entrepreneur), Suchithra Balasubramanian (Harikatha exponent), Khatija Rahman (musician), Sudha Ragunathan (carnatic vocalist), Jerlin Anika (Arjuna Awardee); (3rd row) Chitra DEVI AWARDS Visweswaran (Danseuse), Preethi Srinivasan (cofounder, Soulfree), Dr Sudha Seshayyan (director, SASTRA University, Chennai) got the awards. Preetha Reddy (V-C of Apollo Hospitals), Prabhu Chawla (editorial director of TNIE), Lakshmi Menon (CEO of TNIE) and Santwana Bhattacharya (editor of TNIE) are also seen | P6 Says he expects Modi to do ‘what is right’ on return of undocumented Indians in the US plex nature of diplomatic negotiations ahead. INDIA should look at buying In its statement on the Modimore American security equip- Trump telecon, the White ment to make the bilateral House said it was a productive trade ties equitable, US Presi- call. It said the two leaders exdent Donald Trump told Prime pressed their desire to deepen Minister Narendra Modi dur- bilateral cooperation and dising his telephone call on Mon- cussed important issues includday the White House said. , ing security in the Indo-Pacific, Separately, Trump told re- West Asia, and Europe. porters that Modi “The President might visit the US emphasized the in February Sourc. importance of es said both counIndia increasing tries are looking at its procurement finalising dates for of Americana meeting in Febmade security ruary or March. equipment and PM to visit U.S. Responding to a moving toward a query, Trump said fair bilateral Trump said Modi is likely he and Modi dis- to visit the US in February. trading relationcussed various is- According to sources, both ship,” it said. sues including imThe US is Insides are working to migration. The US dia’s larg est finalise mutually president said he trade par tner convenient dates in hopes Modi “will and the two-way February or March do what’s right” retrade between garding the return of Indians the two nations surpassed $118 who came to the US illegally . billion in 2023-24, with India reMeanwhile, Trump reiterat- cording $32 billion surplus. ed his stance on imposing tarThe White House said Trump iffs on countries that ‘harm’ and Modi emphasised their the US. Speaking to House Re- commitment to “advance the publicans at a Florida retreat US-India strategic partnership on Monday he called out China and the Indo-Pacific Quad part, and Brazil for having high tar- nership, with India hosting iffs. He also put India in this Quad Leaders for the first time category, signalling the com- later this year.” J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi WOMEN’S AWARDS FOR DYNAMISM & INNOVATION Photo: P Jawahar e x p r e ss r e a d 5 fishermen injured in firing by Lankan navy Karaikal: Five fishermen from TN and Karaikal sustained injuries, including two seriously, in an incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy near Delft Island late on Monday. They were part of a group of 13 fishermen. The Ministry of External Affairs has summoned the acting high commissioner of SL on Tuesday to register its strong protest | P8 Vanniyar quota: CM opens memorial for 21 activists Villupuram: Speaking at an event held to inaugurate a memorial for 21 Vanniyar reservation activists, CM M K Stalin slammed opposition for blaming the government. “This does not mean there is fault with the government; it only shows there is fault in opposition’s thinking,” he said | P8 From history to AI, a stage for diverse perspectives E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i ce @ Chennai Incisive discussions on education, culture, and governance captivated audience as scholars articulated their vision on the second day of the 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 hosted by The New Indian Exp re s s i n C h e n n a i . With focus on history, technology, morality, and skilling, speakers addressed India’s pressing challenges and opportunities at the event, presented by SASTRA University, on Tuesday. Economist Sanjeev Sanyal opened the day by revisiting ‘Lost History,’ highlighting neglected revolutionaries like Mewa Singh Lopoke and VVS Aiyar. He argued for rewriting the ‘biased colonial n a r r a t ive s ’ . Au t h o r Vikram Sampath expanded on this, examining polarising figures like Tipu Sultan and Veer Savarkar and calling for diverse perspectives in decoding history. BJP state president K Annamalai advocated for restoring Tamil Nadu’s cultural and economic strength, spelling out strategies and solutions for the state’s environmen- Sanjeev Sanyal, member EAC to PM tal and educational challenges. While Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka underscored the need for cooperative governance, Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan called for an education system rooted in morality and liberation. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge addressed India’s skilling crisis, outlining Karnataka’s initiatives in areas like semiconductor and AI. Tanuj Bhojwani and Professor Venkatesh Balasubramanian spoke about India’s potential as a global AI leader while addressing ethical and societal challenges. Historian Anirudh Kanisetti traced the Chola Empire’s legacy of cultural integration, demonstrating India’s enduring diversity. Discussions on civility in public discourse featured Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu, Gautami, and Sasikanth Senthil critiquing the rise of hate speech and sensationalism on social media. Swami Shailendra Saraswati reflected on religion’s spiritual essence. The day concluded with Carnatic vocalist Sandeep Narayan and artist Radhe Jaggi, who captivated the audience with insights into art’s transformative power. Over two days, the conclave featured 40 speakers across 25 sessions and 16 hours of debates. Attended by 600 students and 500 delegates, the event reinforced its legacy as India’s premier education platform, offering perspectives on the nation’s past, present, and future. More reports on P4, P5