How Is IIT Bombay’s TARA App Enhancing Students' Reading Skills Across India?

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has made a groundbreaking contribution to improving literacy in India with the development of the TARA app. This innovative mobile application, designed to assess and enhance reading fluency in school students, is set to revolutionize the way oral reading abilities are evaluated and improved. Combining the power of speech processing and machine learning technologies, TARA offers automated and precise evaluations of students' reading skills in both English and Hindi.

How TARA Works?

• The app is developed by Professor Preeti Rao from IIT Bombay's Department of Electrical Engineering.
• Audio recordings of students reading aloud are analyzed by TARA.
• It measures key metrics such as Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM), along with phrasing, intonation, and stress, providing a comprehensive assessment of reading fluency.
• TARA not only evaluates speed and accuracy but also the expression in reading, helping students improve both comprehension and delivery.

The development of TARA has been rigorously tested and trained using expert-annotated recordings, ensuring that the app's assessments align with human expert evaluations. The app has received support from influential organizations like the Tata Centre for Technology and Design, Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation Fellowship, and Tata Trusts, further validating its potential to reshape the landscape of reading education in India.

How to Use IIT Bombay's TARA App?

IIT Bombay's TARA app is designed to improve oral reading fluency for students in grades 3 to 8. Here's how to use it:

Download & Set Up

• Install the TARA app and register your school or class.

Choose the Language

• Select English or Hindi, based on the student's reading preference.

Record the Reading

• The student reads a passage aloud, and the app records their performance.

Automatic Assessment

TARA evaluates:

• Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM)
• Intonation, Stress, and Phrasing

Review Reports

• Teachers get detailed performance reports to track reading progress.

Track Progress

• Monitor improvement over time and identify areas needing attention.

Interactive Learning

• Students can reattempt readings for better results, with instant feedback.

One of the most significant milestones for TARA has been its adoption by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), which has implemented the app to assess the oral reading fluency of students in Grades 3-8. With over 7 lakh students across 1,200 schools participating, this initiative marks the largest-ever reading fluency assessment in India. This large-scale deployment underscores TARA's scalability and its potential to impact millions of students across the country.