India's School Education Progress: performance grading index (PGI) Insights

EDUCATION

Chaifry

6/22/2025

India’s School Education: PGI Insights on Progress and Challenges (2019–2024)

Introduction

The Performance Grading Index (PGI), launched by India’s Ministry of Education in 2017, serves as a critical tool for evaluating school education systems across States and Union Territories (UTs). By assessing domains such as learning outcomes, access, infrastructure, equity, governance processes, and teacher education, the PGI provides data-driven insights to guide policy interventions aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of PGI reports from 2019–20 to 2023–24, focusing on state performance, enrollment trends, school closures, data uploading challenges, private school coverage, and the merits and demerits of the PGI framework. The analysis is divided into two periods: the old PGI methodology (2019–20 to 2020–21) and PGI 2.0 (2021–22 to 2023–24), acknowledging that methodological changes limit direct score comparisons but allow for trend analysis within each framework. The article also evaluates the strengths and limitations of the PGI reports in driving educational progress across states.

India’s School Education: PGI Insights on Progress and Challenges (2019–2024)

Introduction

The Performance Grading Index (PGI), launched by India’s Ministry of Education in 2017, serves as a critical tool for evaluating school education systems across States and Union Territories (UTs). By assessing domains such as learning outcomes, access, infrastructure, equity, governance processes, and teacher education, the PGI provides data-driven insights to guide policy interventions aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article offers a comprehensive analysis of PGI reports from 2019–20 to 2023–24, focusing on state performance, enrollment trends, school closures, data uploading challenges, private school coverage, and the merits and demerits of the PGI framework. The analysis is divided into two periods: the old PGI methodology (2019–20 to 2020–21) and PGI 2.0 (2021–22 to 2023–24), acknowledging that methodological changes limit direct score comparisons but allow for trend analysis within each framework. The article also evaluates the strengths and limitations of the PGI reports in driving educational progress across states.

PGI Methodology

Old PGI Framework (2019–20 to 2020–21)

The original PGI framework comprised 70 indicators across two categories: Outcomes (640 points) and Governance & Management (360 points), divided into five domains:

  • Learning Outcomes (LO, 180 points): Measures student academic performance.

  • Access (A, 80 points): Assesses enrollment and retention.

  • Infrastructure & Facilities (IF, 150 points): Evaluates school facilities.

  • Equity (E, 230 points): Focuses on reducing disparities for marginalized groups.

  • Governance Processes (GP, 360 points): Examines administrative efficiency.

Scores were categorized into 10 levels, from Level I (951–1000) to Level X (0–550), with a total of 1,000 points.

PGI 2.0 Framework (2021–22 Onwards)

Introduced in 2021, PGI 2.0 aligns with NEP 2020 and SDGs, featuring 73 indicators across six domains:

  • Learning Outcomes & Quality (LO, 240 points): Emphasizes foundational skills.

  • Access (A, 80 points): Tracks enrollment and out-of-school children.

  • Infrastructure & Facilities (IF, 190 points): Assesses modern facilities.

  • Equity (E, 260 points): Addresses gender and social disparities.

  • Governance Processes (GP, 130 points): Focuses on digital monitoring.

  • Teachers’ Education and Training (TE&T, 100 points): Evaluates teacher development.

Scores are graded from Daksh (941–1000) to Akanshi-3 (401–460). Due to changes in indicators and weightings, PGI 2.0 scores are lower and not directly comparable to the old framework.

State Performance Analysis

PGI (2019–20 to 2020–21)

In 2019–20, five States/UTs achieved Level II (901–950): Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, excelling in governance and infrastructure. Ladakh scored in Level X (0–550), reflecting its nascent education system, while Meghalaya was in Level VIII (601–650), indicating deficits in infrastructure and governance. The inter-state differential was 384 points, highlighting significant disparities.

By 2020–21, seven States/UTs reached Level II: Andhra Pradesh (902), Chandigarh (927), Gujarat (903), Kerala (928), Maharashtra (928), Punjab (928), and Rajasthan (903). Ladakh improved to Level IV (844), driven by governance and infrastructure gains. Arunachal Pradesh scored the lowest at 669 (Level VII, 651–700), with no state below Level VII. The differential narrowed to 259 points, suggesting reduced disparities.

Progress (2019–20 to 2020–21):

  • Improvements: 27 States/UTs improved scores, with Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Punjab, and Arunachal Pradesh showing gains over 20%. Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh saw 10–20% improvements.

  • Declines: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh declined, likely due to governance issues and COVID-19 disruptions.

  • Domain Trends: Punjab led in Governance Processes (348/360), Kerala and Punjab in Access (79/80), and Rajasthan in Learning Outcomes (168/180).

PGI 2.0 (2021–22 to 2023–24)

In 2021–22, no State/UT reached the top four grades (Daksh, Utkarsh, Ati-Uttam, Uttam). Chandigarh led with 659.0 points (Prachesta-2, 641–700), followed by Punjab (647.4, Prachesta-2). Six States/UTs scored in Prachesta-3 (581–640): Gujarat (599.0), Kerala (609.7), Maharashtra (583.2), Delhi (636.2), Puducherry (592.7), and Tamil Nadu (590.4). Meghalaya scored lowest at 420.6 (Akanshi-3), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (458.5) and Mizoram (453.4). The score gap was 238.37 points.

In 2022–23, Chandigarh scored 687.8 (Prachesta-2), while Punjab dropped to 614.1 (Prachesta-3). Top performers included Kerala (601.9, Prachesta-3), Gujarat (602.2, Prachesta-3), and Odisha (584.5, Prachesta-3). Meghalaya scored 401.6 (Akanshi-3), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (439.6) and Nagaland (446.4). 24 States/UTs improved, while 12 declined.

By 2023–24, Chandigarh topped with 703 points (Prachesta-1, 701–760), followed by Punjab (631.1, Prachesta-3), Delhi (623.7, Prachesta-3), Odisha (595.6, Prachesta-3), and Gujarat. Meghalaya scored lowest at 417.9 (Akanshi-3), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (461.4), Mizoram (464.2), Nagaland (468.6), and Bihar (471.9). The score gap exceeded 300 points. 25 States/UTs improved, with Delhi (+44 points), Himachal Pradesh (+41), Haryana (+41), and Puducherry (+37) showing gains.

Progress (2021–22 to 2023–24):

  • Improvements: Chandigarh rose from 659.0 to 703, achieving Prachesta-1. Odisha and Delhi improved in access and infrastructure, with Odisha reaching Daksh in Access.

  • Declines: Punjab dropped from 647.4 to 614.1 in 2022–23 but recovered to 631.1 in 2023–24. 12 States, including Bihar and Karnataka, declined in 2023–24.

  • Domain Trends: Odisha led in Access, Delhi and Telangana in Infrastructure. Equity gaps narrowed slightly, but learning outcomes remained weak.

PGI Reports

The PGI reports offer significant benefits but also face notable challenges in their application across states. Their merits include providing comprehensive insights into school education, enabling states to identify critical areas for improvement, such as learning outcomes and infrastructure deficits. The structured framework, with 73 indicators in PGI 2.0, ensures a holistic evaluation, allowing states to prioritize interventions. The transparent “hall of fame” approach fosters competition, as seen in 33 states improving scores in 2019–20. PGI facilitates performance-based grants, incentivizing states to focus on education, and supports resource-sharing, enabling low-performing states to learn from high performers like Chandigarh. Alignment with NEP 2020 and SDGs strengthens policy implementation through real-time data systems like UDISE+.

However, demerits include large inter-state score differentials, with over 300 points separating Chandigarh (703) and Meghalaya (417.9) in 2023–24, suggesting inequities in resources or evaluation. Reliance on self-reported data, even with central vetting, raises concerns about accuracy, as states may inflate metrics. Governance challenges hinder implementation, with states like Madhya Pradesh regressing. Regional disparities, with southern and western states outperforming northeastern and central states, highlight uneven progress. No state reaching the highest PGI 2.0 grades indicates ambitious benchmarks that may be difficult for resource-constrained states to achieve.

Enrollment Trends

UDISE+ data shows a consistent enrollment decline:

  • 2019–20: 26.02 crore total, with government schools at 13.5 crore and private at 9.34 crore.

  • 2020–21: ~26 crore, stable despite COVID-19 disruptions.

  • 2021–22: 25.57 crore, reflecting post-COVID shifts to private schools.

  • 2022–23: 25.17 crore, with government schools losing students.

  • 2023–24: 24.8 crore, a 37 lakh drop from 2022–23, with government schools declining by 87 lakh to 12.74 crore and private schools increasing by 60 lakh to 9 crore.

State Declines: Uttar Pradesh (-28.69 lakh in 2023–24), Bihar (-35.65 lakh since 2018–19), West Bengal (-3.70 lakh), Karnataka (-2.82 lakh).
Gender: Boys’ enrollment dropped by 21 lakh, girls’ by 16 lakh in 2023–24.
Social Groups: SC (4.47 crore, down from 4.59 crore), OBC (11.2 crore, down from 11.45 crore).
Reasons: Revised UDISE+ data collection with Aadhaar-linked records, post-COVID shift to private schools, and migration.

Data Uploading Challenges

PGI relies on UDISE+, PM-POSHAN, PRABANDH, and Vidyanjali portals. In 2023–24, UDISE+ covered 14.72 lakh schools, 98.08 lakh teachers, and 24.8 crore students, with 19.7 crore providing Aadhaar numbers. Low-performing states like Bihar and Meghalaya face delays and inaccuracies in data uploads, impacting PGI reliability. The Ministry urges timely submissions, but capacity gaps persist.

Private School Coverage

UDISE+ includes government and private schools, with private schools enrolling 9 crore students (36%) in 2023–24. PGI focuses on government and aided schools, but private school data informs trends. The 60 lakh increase in private enrollment reflects public preference for perceived quality, though private schools declined by 3.67% from the 2018–2022 average.

Conclusion

The PGI reports from 2019–20 to 2023–24 highlight significant progress in Indian school education, with states like Chandigarh and Odisha showing improvements, while Meghalaya and Bihar face challenges. Enrollment declines, school closures, and data uploading issues underscore the need for targeted interventions. The PGI’s merits, such as fostering competition and transparency, are tempered by demerits like data inaccuracies and regional disparities. Strengthening government schools, enhancing data systems, and addressing inequities are critical for achieving SDG 4 by 2030.