The PGI exercise envisages that the index would propel states and UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about much-desired optimal education outcomes
The Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for states and UTs was issued today by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. The top grades for 2019-20 go to Punjab, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Kerala. In comparison to previous years, the majority of States/UTs have improved their rating in PGI 2019-20. The Union Territory of Ladakh, on the other hand, is ranked at the lowest, with a score ranging from 0 to 550. There are no states in Grade VI, and just one state in Grade V, Meghalaya. The most states and UTs are ranked in grades I+, I, and II, totaling 23 states and UTs.
According to the Index study, 13 states and UTs have improved their rankings by 10% or more compared to previous years. Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Odisha are the three states that have made the most progress in terms of equity. This year’s top scorers have exhibited a stunning improvement of 10%. There are 19 states that have improved the majority of their education governance processes. The Union Education Minister praised the wide variety of improvements shown. The performance grading index uses 70 characteristics to assign a score to each state’s school education system out of a total of 1000 points.
Infrastructure, accessibility, teaching quality, learning results, annual performances, and other factors all factor into this ranking.
The most recent edition of PGI was issued in 2019 based on evaluations from the 2017-18 school year. Chandigarh, Kerala, and Gujrat received the highest grade I++ in this index. Gujrat, on the other hand, has been relegated to I+ in the current edition, along with six other states/UTs.
PGI, which was first issued in 2019 for the academic year 2017-18, is a multi-pronged activity that strives to assist various states and administrations in achieving their educational goals. The study also serves as a useful resource for information on best practises used by other states and territories. The goal is to assist states/UTs in identifying and effectively bridging areas of concern and learning gaps.
To better reflect reality, attempts have been undertaken to improve data sources by making them more comprehensive, user-friendly, and submitting them to cross-checks, so improving the information’s trustworthiness and robustness.
Effective governance and administration will go a long way toward strengthening the school education system, and the PGI was designed as a tool to urge States and UTs to ensure that the Index’s aims are met.
Rather than ranking, the States and UTs are graded. Grading eliminates the situation of one State or UT improving at the expense of others, so projecting a stigma of underperformance on the latter, even though they may have kept status quo or even done better than before.
“While it is common knowledge that a shortage of teachers, principals, and administrative staff, a lack of regular supervision and inspection, inadequate teacher training, and timely availability of funds (all of which are captured in the governance and management domain) are some of the issues plaguing the country’s education system, this is the first time that a reliable tool has been developed to address these issues.”
