Why in news?
On 7 July 2026 the Union Ministry of Education released the latest Performance Grading Index 2.0 reports for states and districts. These reports evaluate the quality of school education across India and highlight areas for improvement.
Background
Introduced in 2017, the Performance Grading Index (PGI) provides evidence‑based insights into the performance of school education systems. PGI 2.0, rolled out in 2021 to align with the National Education Policy 2020 and Sustainable Development Goals, uses a 1,000‑point scale covering 70 indicators. These indicators are grouped into two categories – Outcomes and Governance & Management – and six domains: Learning Outcomes & Quality, Access, Infrastructure & Facilities, Equity, Governance Processes and Teacher Education & Training. Data are sourced from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), the PARAKH National Achievement Survey and portals like PM Poshan and PRABANDH.
Highlights of recent rankings (2023–24 data)
- Top performers: Chandigarh secured the highest score (around 703) and is the only region placed in the “Prachesta‑1” grade band (701–760 points). Punjab (about 631) and Delhi (about 624) followed.
- Bottom performers: Meghalaya scored around 418, placing it in the lowest grade band (“Akanshi‑3”). Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Bihar also ranked low.
- Middle performers: States such as Kerala, Gujarat, Odisha, Haryana, Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan scored between 581–640 points. Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand scored in the 521–580 range.
- Improvement trends: About two‑thirds of states and union territories improved their PGI scores in 2023–24 compared with the previous year. Bihar and Telangana showed notable gains in access to education, while Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Telangana made big strides in infrastructure and facilities.
- No top band achiever: No state or union territory scored in the highest performance band (761–1,000 points). The wide gap between the highest and lowest scores (around 300 points) indicates significant disparities across regions.
Significance
PGI 2.0 encourages healthy competition among states to improve school education. It helps policymakers identify gaps in learning outcomes, infrastructure and governance. By making results public, the index promotes transparency and enables targeted interventions.
Conclusion
The latest PGI 2.0 report reveals both progress and persistent challenges. While some states have improved, no region has reached the top performance band. Continued investment in teacher training, equitable access and robust governance will be key to raising the quality of school education nationwide.