Why in news?

The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States/UTs for 2020-21.

Highlights

• It is a unique index for evidence based comprehensive analysis of school education system across State/UTs.
• The prime objective of PGI is to promote evidence-based policy making and highlight course correction to ensure quality education for all.
• So far, DoSE&L has released PGI report for the year 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The present report is for the year 2020-21.

the parameters :

• The PGI structure comprises of 1000 points across 70 indicators grouped into 2 categories , Outcomes, Governance Management (GM).
• These categories are further divided into 5 domains: Learning Outcomes , Access , Infrastructure& Facilities , Equity & Governance Process .
• Highest achievable Grade is Level 1, which is for State/UT scoring more than 950 points out of total of 1000 points. The lowest grade is Level 10 which is for score below 551

the objectives of the Index:

• The ultimate aim is to propel States & UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes covering all dimensions.
• The PGI help States and UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.

the results :

• A total of 7 States and UTs Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have attained Level II
• Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are the new entrants to highest achieved level of any State
• The newly formed UT Ladakh has made significant improvement in PGI from Level 8 to Level 4resulting into highest ever improvement in a single year.
• National Capital Territory of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha, attained Level 3