In a recent development, NITI Aayog has released the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) 2019 where 20 states have been ranked based on some indicators, of which Kerala has been ranked first among other states and states like Rajasthan and Karnataka stood second and third respectively. Uttar Pradesh secured the last spot in the list.
Joining hands among the lowest ranked states are Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
The School Education Quality Index (SEQI), SDG India Index and the Digital Transformation Index (DTI) measure states’ progress in sectors like health, education, water and sustainable development goals (SDG). With an emphasis on outcomes, NITI finalized indices to measure incremental annual outcomes in critical social sectors.
The ranking of 20 major and 8 small states have been prepared keeping several indicators for considerations.
With states like Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa being counted among the 8 small states, West Bengal is the only state to be excluded from the list.
The indicators that led to the rankings are the quality of education, its reach, infrastructure and administration. The ranking, which is based on 2016-17 statistics, was prepared with the help of the World Bank and other technical experts.
The Ministry of Human Resource and Development will soon release the Niti Aayog’s report on the quality of education provided in the schools of different states of India.