DEHRADUN: In a significant leap for the state’s academic landscape, Uttarakhand has risen nine places in the latest Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0, securing the 15th position nationally. The rankings, released by the Union government for the 2024–25 academic session, mark a decisive improvement from the state’s 24th rank in the previous year.
With an impressive total of 584.5 points, an increase of 58.2 points over the previous year, Uttarakhand has successfully moved from the ‘Aspirational-1’ category to the ‘Prachesta-3’ tier. “This upward trend reflects the state’s concrete efforts to overhaul its education system, outperforming several larger states including Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh,” Director Sati said.
The state’s progress in the PGI rankings has been consistent. Education department officials attribute the recent success to systemic reforms and a sustained focus on monitoring and evaluation.
“From 34th position in 2022 to 24th in 2024, and now breaking into the top 15, the progress is a result of corrective measures implemented across various domains,” said Dr Mukul Kumar Sati, Director of Primary and Secondary Education, speaking to TNIE. “Our next goal is clear: we are aiming to break into the top 10 in the next cycle.”
The PGI 2.0 report evaluates states across six key domains and 72 indicators. Uttarakhand’s strongest performance was recorded in ‘Equity and Inclusivity’, where it secured 222.2 out of 260 points. This high score is widely viewed as evidence that initiatives to provide quality education in remote, mountainous and rural areas are yielding results.
State education officials point to the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as a key driver of these gains. By prioritising technology-driven learning, modern pedagogical methods and robust teacher training programmes, the state administration is moving beyond basic infrastructure development.
Uttarakhand demonstrated multi-dimensional growth across critical educational domains. The state secured 78.5 points in governance processes and 64.7 in access and enrolment, reflecting improved administrative efficiency and student retention.
Infrastructure development also performed strongly, with 84.9 points. Officials emphasised that this goes beyond basic amenities, stating, “Our upgrades create learning environments that meet modern requirements; these schools are hubs of digital learning.”
Capacity building through teacher training earned 66.8 points, while learning outcomes reached 67.4. Despite the progress, leadership remains pragmatic. A senior official noted, “We recognise that learning outcomes are the true test of reform and require sustained, focused intervention to empower students.”