National Achievement Surveys (NAS) are conducted under the Government’s flagship programme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). NAS is designed to provide information about the learning achievement of students in the elementary sector of education in government and government-aided schools. This is achieved by administering standardized tests to students of Classes III, V and VIII. NAS also collects information about relevant background factors related to the school environment, instructional practices, the home backgrounds of students, teachers’ qualification etc. NAS data gives policy makers, curriculum specialists, researchers and other stake holders a ‘snapshot’ of what students know and can do in key subjects at a particular point in time. The results also serve as a baseline against which future progress in education may be evaluated. This report presents the findings of the third cycle of the national achievement survey of students studying in Class V conducted from November 2010 to March 2011. The subjects covered were Language (including Reading Comprehension), Mathematics, and Environmental Studies (EVS).