Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi toppers in Centre’s PGI school education report; Meghalaya ranks at bottom

By | June 19, 2025

Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi Top Centre’s PGI School Education Report; Meghalaya Ranks Lowest

New Delhi, June 19, 2025 – In the latest Performance Grading Index (PGI) for school education released by the Ministry of Education, Chandigarh, Punjab, and Delhi have emerged as the top-performing regions in India. These Union Territories and states showcased remarkable progress in educational outcomes, infrastructure, equity, and governance, while Meghalaya ranked at the bottom, indicating the need for urgent policy interventions.

PGI 2024: What Is It?

The Performance Grading Index is an annual report card that evaluates the performance of school education systems across all states and Union Territories (UTs). Developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy, PGI 2024 analyzes data across multiple parameters grouped under five major domains:

  1. Learning outcomes and quality
  2. Access to education
  3. Infrastructure and facilities
  4. Equity
  5. Governance and management

Each region receives a score out of 1,000 points. The index aims to drive data-based decision-making and push for focused improvement.

Chandigarh Leads with Top Score

Chandigarh, with its compact geography and well-funded administration, retained its top spot by scoring above 900 points. Its consistent investment in teacher training, digital classrooms, and student tracking systems contributed to this success.

“Chandigarh’s model shows what targeted governance and efficient resource allocation can achieve,” said a senior education official.

Punjab and Delhi Among Top Performers

Punjab showed a strong comeback, especially in learning outcomes and equitable access. It has heavily invested in revamping government schools, hiring qualified teachers, and introducing smart classrooms.

Delhi, with its continued emphasis on improving public education through infrastructure upgrades, innovative teacher training programs, and parental engagement initiatives, maintained its position among the top three.

The AAP-led government in Delhi has consistently made education a central focus, and this has clearly paid off.

Southern States Continue to Perform Well

Other notable performers included Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, all of which scored in the higher brackets. Their strength lies in robust schooling systems, strong community participation, and good pupil-teacher ratios.

Bottom-Ranked States: Meghalaya, Bihar, and Assam

At the other end of the spectrum, Meghalaya came last, with a score well below the national average. Bihar and Assam also performed poorly.

Challenges include:

  • Inadequate school infrastructure
  • High student-teacher ratios
  • Poor learning outcomes
  • Low enrollment and retention, particularly among tribal and rural populations

Despite central assistance, several northeastern and eastern states struggle with last-mile connectivity, lack of trained staff, and socio-economic barriers to education.

National Overview: Gradual Improvement

While disparities remain, the overall PGI report showed improvement in several states compared to the previous year. Notably:

  • Learning outcomes improved in 24 states
  • Infrastructure parameters saw growth in 18 states
  • Governance scores rose in 12 states

Still, no state managed to achieve a “Utkarsh” (the highest grading level), indicating there is room for progress even among the best.

Key Insights from PGI 2024

  • Digital Push: States with stronger implementation of digital initiatives (smart classrooms, learning apps) performed better in learning outcomes.
  • Teacher Training: Regular and well-structured training programs were linked to higher student performance.
  • Data-Driven Management: States that used school-level data for real-time decision-making showed better governance and academic outcomes.

Expert View

Education experts emphasize the importance of contextual interventions and equity-focused spending.

“While urban and resource-rich regions surge ahead, remote and tribal areas must not be left behind. Tailored solutions are critical,” said Dr. Rina Sood, education policy analyst.

Conclusion

The PGI 2024 highlights both success stories and areas that need urgent attention. While Chandigarh, Punjab, and Delhi shine with their robust educational ecosystems, states like Meghalaya underscore the persistent challenges in reaching education equity. The report serves as a mirror and a roadmap, encouraging states to learn from each other and ensure quality education for every child in India.