New Delhi: Chandigarh has emerged as the best-performing region in the country in the Union Education Ministry's latest Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report on school education. While Meghalaya ranked lowest at the tenth and lowest category.
The UT scored 703 out of 1,000 and was placed in the fifth performance band, known as Prachesta-1, making it the only state or Union Territory in this category.
Meghalaya with 417.9 points finds itself in the Akanshi-3 category despite a slight improvement over the previous year.
The PGI 2.0, a revised framework introduced in 2021, evaluates all 36 states and UTs based on six key domains such as, learning outcomes and quality, access, infrastructure and facilities, equity, governance processes, and teacher education and training. Each domain contributes to a cumulative score out of 1,000, with the goal of highlighting both achievements and areas needing policy intervention.
This latest edition of the report covers both academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24 and is based on multiple data sources, including the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021, UDISE+ data, and PM-POSHAN (mid-day meal) scheme information.
Despite improvements in some areas, the overall picture shows that no state or UT crossed into the top four grading bands that of, Daksh, Utkarsh, Ati Uttam, and Uttam, which require scores above 761.
"The top-most grade attained is 'Prachesta-1', i.e., score range 701-760, indicating that there is huge scope for improvement in performance by states," the report noted.
Following Chandigarh's top position, Punjab (631.1) and Delhi (623.7) were the next highest performers, both placed in the Prachesta-3 band (score range: 581-640). Other states and UTs in this band included Kerala, Gujarat, Odisha, Haryana, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. These results, while relatively strong, still reflect a nationwide underperformance against the highest possible benchmarks.
On the lower end of the spectrum are Arunachal Pradesh with 461.4 points, Mizoram at 464.2, Nagaland at 468.6, and Bihar at 471.9-all falling into the bottom two bands. In total, 10 states and UTs fell into the ninth band, Akanshi-2 that has a score range of 461-520.
Overall, the report found that 25 of the 36 states and UTs improved their scores in 2023-24 compared to the previous year.
Chandigarh improved from 687.8 to 703, while Punjab moved up from 614.1. However, 11 states and UTs including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, saw a drop in their overall scores.
In terms of individual domain performance, Chandigarh again stood out as the only region to reach the third band, Ati Uttam with a score range of 821-880 in infrastructure and facilities. Delhi and Dadra & Nagar Haveli followed in the next lower band, Uttam with a score range of 761-820.
For learning outcomes, considered the most critical domain, only Chandigarh, Punjab, and Puducherry made it to the sixth band of Prachesta-2 score range of 641-700. While Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir were placed in the seventh band Prachesta-3. Most other states ranked lower, pointing to widespread challenges in student learning achievements.
Odisha topped the access domain, reaching the highest band, Daksh (941-1,000 score range). States like Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana followed in the Utkarsh band (881-940 score range), indicating significant strides in school availability and enrolment.
Bihar and Jharkhand were specifically noted for improving their access scores, moving up from the sixth to the fifth band between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
In equity, all states and UTs performed within the top three bands, suggesting a more balanced distribution of educational access and outcomes across gender, social, and economic groups.
The ministry cautioned, however, that changes in grading and methodology in PGI 2.0 mean the results cannot be directly compared to earlier PGI versions. Yet, the broad trends remain consistent, with Chandigarh, Punjab, and Delhi maintaining their top spots over recent years.
"Since the grading and the indicators have undergone changes, the results of PGI 2.0 are not strictly comparable with the previous PGI reports, though the pattern of achievement seems to be like the previous PGI results," the report stated.
The PGI 2.0 is intended as a diagnostic tool to help states and UTs identify critical areas for policy focus. With no region crossing into the top four bands, the report sends a clear message: much more needs to be done to improve the quality and equity of school education across India.
