New Concept conducted a baseline survey in the three districts as part of the preparation for the project. New Concept prepared three reports, based on a sample survey of the three districts. One hundred twenty schools (drawn from two to three blocks per district) were studied. 
In each school, children of Class V were tested and interviewed, drop-outs from Class V were interviewed and tested for literacy skills, students from Class II were tested on numeric and language skills, and a sample of teachers interviewed. Focus group discussions with parents in 15 villages were conducted. The assessments provided quantitative estimates of achievement in arithmetic and reading comprehension at the end of the primary school cycle, gender and community differences in performance, quantitative and qualitative information on pupils and teachers, the functioning of schools and the level of community participation. The study developed for UP and the experience gathered during the study previously conducted in Tamil Nadu, became the basis for all other Baseline Surveys under the District Primary Education Programme country-wide