NEW DELHI: In a marker of the growing appeal of English in India's countryside, more than 58% of rural teenagers were able to read sentences in the language during a survey of 30,000 children across 24 states.The survey, for the recently released Annual School Education Report 2017 (ASER 2017), also found that an overwhelming majority (79%) of children who could read English also understood the meaning of the sentences. The ability to read English sentences was found in 53% of 14-year-olds and it increased to 60% among 18-year-olds.The figures are significant as the survey was done among rural teens (aged 14 to 18), 25% of whom could not still read basic text fluently in their own language. The increasing proficiency in English correlates with growing aspiration among the children surveyed, 60% of whom want to study beyond Class XII. By contrast, just 35% of those who could not read Class II level text fluently wanted to continue studies beyond Class XII.The age group selected for the survey is also the first batch of the Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, which guarantees elementary schooling to all children in the age group of 6-14 years. The ASER 2017 indicates that a large proportion of 14- to 18-year-olds can at least read simple texts. Based on a sample of nearly 30,000 kids from 26 rural districts, ASER 2017 gives a snapshot of the lives of these young adults. More than 85% of them are in the formal education system.Ashok K Ganguly, educationist and former CBSE chairperson, attributed the rise in interest in English in rural schools to growing awareness among parents about the importance of the language. "Parents are realising that their kids have to compete at the national level. Knowledge of English is also need to succeed in professional courses. So parents have started motivating their wards to learn English... which was not the case 10-15 years back," Ganguly said.Ganguly felt that language skills were not being given due importance in our school education. He rued the fact that while prioritising English, local languages were losing out. "If kids are good in the mother tongue they can learn English and other languages better," he added.In exploring the language capabilities of the youth, tasks were designed that included both academic or textbook/curricular activity as well as functional day-to-day type of tasks. Different methods were used such as reading and comprehension using an oral one-on-one method as well as the pen-paper format. It was seen that administering a pen-paper test was not suitable in a household setting and did not engage t he youth or the community.Ashok Pandey, principal, Ahlcon International, Delhi, said the growing importance of English was not just a perception, but a "fact.""The motivation for this is the perception that if you have to progress, go for higher studies and get a good job, you have to be proficient in English."