Kerala, Raj, Guj top school quality index

NEW DELHI: Kerala has topped government think-tank Niti Aayog’s School Education Quality Index (SEQI) with a performance score of 76.6%. Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Assam have emerged as other best-performing large states, each achieving performance scores above 60.0%. Uttar Pradesh has been ranked lowest among the big states with a score of 36.4%.

Niti Aayog on Monday launched SEQI, which is aimed at evaluating performances of states and Union Territories in the school education sector.

Manipur has topped the small states with a score of 82.1% and Arunachal Pradesh the lowest at 27.2%. Manipur, Tripura, and Goa are other top-performing small states, each achieving an overall score of above 55%.

Among Union Territories, Chandigarh has the highest overall performance score of 82.9% while Lakshadweep ranks last with 31.9%. Delhi, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep performed better in the Governance Processes Aiding Outcomes category.

Officials said the SEQI aims to bring outcomes focus to the education policy by providing states and UTS with a platform to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to undertake requisite course corrections or policy interventions.

It has been developed through a collaborative process involving Union human resource development ministry, the World Bank and sector experts. The index consists of 30 critical indicators that assess the delivery of quality education.

“Quality school education is a function of a targeted focus on learning outcomes, efficient governance structures, provision of necessary infrastructure and ensuring equitable academic opportunities,’’ said Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.