A statewide baseline study by the Prayoga Institute of Education Research has found that gender is not a determining factor in foundational mathematics proficiency among middle school students.

The Mathematics Prerequisite Baseline Assessment was conducted during the 2024–25 academic year across 35 educational districts in Karnataka. The study covered 2,023 Class 6 students from government and rural schools and assessed prerequisite competencies required for grade-level mathematics progression.

The evaluation measured performance across five domains: numeracy, fractions, pattern recognition, time and simplification. On a 25-mark scale, the mean score difference between girls and boys was 0.55 marks in favour of girls, representing a 4.3 per cent variation. Girls recorded higher mean scores across all five domains, though differences in fractions and time were minimal.

Dr Karuna Simha, Senior Researcher at Prayoga who led the study, said the findings show that mathematics ability is shaped by learning opportunities and classroom practices rather than gender.

While gender-based differences were limited, the study reported significant variation across districts. Average district scores ranged from 9.31 in Mandya to 20.09 in Mysuru. Districts including Mysuru, Kumta–Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru recorded averages above 18, while Mandya and Bengaluru South reported lower averages, particularly in time, pattern recognition and fractions.

The findings indicate that local instructional conditions and foundational teaching practices have a greater impact on performance outcomes than gender. The study calls for a focus on strengthening foundational instruction and improving classroom practices across districts to address learning gaps.

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