Kerala, Andhra, Punjab top school performance index

NEW DELHI: Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are among the top seven best-performing states and Union Territories on school education along with Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, according to the latest report by the Union Ministry of Education on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu, which was also in this category last year, has slipped, according to the report of the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2020-21, a unique evidence-based, comprehensive analysis of school education systems across the Indian states and Union Territories.

“A total of 7 states and UTs, including Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh, have attained Level 2 (score 901-950) in 2020-21 as compared to none in 2017-18,” the report said. 

Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are the new entrants to the highest level of any state so far. Tamil Nadu has been graded in Level 3 (851-900) in 2020-21, a notch below last year when it had found a place in Level 2 along with Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar.

The states were graded on different band levels, starting from 951-1000 or Level 1 score, which none of the states or Union Territories scored, to 550 or Level 10 (0-550), which was the lowest level and again, no state or UT scored so low. 

The grading system was introduced in 2017-18, and no state has appeared at Level 1 so far. The report said that a total of 27 states and UTs had improved their total PGI score in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20
In Level 3, 12 states and union territories attained this score. These are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Lakshadweep, Delhi and Odisha. Arunachal Pradesh was the only state which appeared in Level 7 (651-700). 

The report highlighted that the most significant performer in 2020-21 is Ladakh, a newly formed union territory, which attained Level 4 in 2020-21, jumping from Level 10 in 2019-20. The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, has devised PGI for states and UTs to provide insights and data-driven mechanisms on the performance and achievements of the success of school education across all States/UTs. 

Top 7 attain Level 2
According to report, a total of 7 states and UTs, including Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh, have attained Level 2 (score 901-950) in 2020-21 as compared to none in 2017-18