Punjab has secured the top position in NITI Aayog’s latest school education quality rankings, overtaking Kerala in a national assessment that evaluates states on learning outcomes, governance, infrastructure and equity in education.

The rankings were released under the Performance Grading Index framework, which tracks the performance of states and Union Territories across multiple indicators linked to school education. Developed by the NITI Aayog in coordination with the Ministry of Education, the index is intended to encourage data-driven reforms and identify gaps in education delivery systems.

According to a report by JagranJosh, Punjab’s improved performance was driven by gains in governance standards, school infrastructure and student-related indicators. The state moved ahead of Kerala, which has traditionally ranked among the country’s strongest performers in education.

The index evaluates factors such as access to education, teacher availability, digital learning infrastructure, foundational literacy and numeracy, administrative efficiency and overall academic performance. Officials said that the rankings are designed not only to compare states but also to encourage healthy competition and policy innovation.

The latest rankings also reflected varying levels of progress across states, with several governments increasing investments in digital classrooms, school management systems and early learning initiatives in recent years. Education experts have increasingly stressed the importance of improving foundational learning and reducing regional disparities in access to quality schooling.

The Performance Grading Index has become a key benchmarking tool for policymakers as India continues efforts to reform school education in line with broader national development goals.