In a recent development, the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, has published the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) combined report for 2020-21 & 2021-22, providing an assessment of the school education system at the district level. The MoE has also put forth a report on Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 for States/UTs for the year 2021-22.
Understanding the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D)
The PGI-D measures the performance of the school education system at the district level by developing an index for comprehensive evaluation. Various data sources are used to assess district-level performance in school education, including the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +), National Achievement Survey (NAS), 2017, and data submitted by individual districts. The MoE has released five annual reports since 2017-18, offering insights into the state of school education in States and UTs.
The report classifies districts under ten separate grades, with Daksha being the highest grade (above 90%) and Akanshi-3 being the lowest (less than 10%). The PGI-D structure carries a total weightage of 600 points, spread across 83 indicators falling under six categories: Outcomes, Effective Classroom Transaction, Infrastructure Facilities & Student’s Entitlements, School Safety & Child Protection, Digital Learning, and Governance Process.
Potential Impact of the PGI-D Report
State education departments can utilize the PGI-D report to identify gaps at the district level and enhance performance through decentralized efforts. Prioritizing areas for intervention, districts can strive to attain the highest grade and boost the overall quality of education.
Key Highlights from the Report
The impact of the pandemic was evident in district performance as none of them managed to secure the top two grades (Daksha and Utkarsh). The number of districts categorized as Ati-Uttam decreased significantly from 121 in 2020-21 to 51 in 2021-22. Despite the pandemic, several districts in states like Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and Odisha were categorized as Ati-Uttam in both 2020-21 and 2021-22.
The Evolution of Grades
In 2021-22, the number of districts classified as Prachesta-2 (sixth-highest grade) rose from 86 in 2020-21 to 117, indicating that more districts struggled with maintaining their performance due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Introduction to PGI 2.0
PGI is a comprehensive assessment tool developed by MoE to evaluate the performance of the school education system at the State/UT level. PGI was inaugurated for the year 2017-18 and has since been updated up to 2020-21. For 2021-22, the PGI has been upgraded and rebranded as PGI 2.0. The revised structure includes 73 indicators grouped into two categories: Outcomes and Governance Management (GM), placing importance on qualitative assessment, digital initiatives, and teacher education.
The PGI 2.0 encompasses six domains: Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure and Facilities (IF), Equity (E), Governance Process (GP), and Teachers’ Education and Training (TE&T). These domains touch upon various facets of the education system.
States and Union Territories are assigned grades based on their points scored across the indicators, with Daksha (941-1000) being the highest and Akanshi-3 (401-460) the lowest. In the latest edition, however, none of the States/UTs achieved the top grades.
Highlights from PGI 2.0
Only two states/UTs, namely Punjab and Chandigarh, achieved Grade Prachesta -2 (score 641-700). Andhra Pradesh secured Grade 8 (Category: Akankshi-1) in PGI 2.0 and demonstrated significant progress over the years, progressing from no grade in 2017-18 to attaining Level II with a score of 901.
Government Initiatives concerning School Education
The government has undertaken various initiatives to improve school education, including the National Education Policy, 2020, Samagra Shiksha, Mid Day Meal Scheme, Eklavya Model School and Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Scheme, National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan PRAGYATA, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and PM SHRI Schools.
