Performance Grading Index 2020-21

The Ministry of Education recently released its Performance Grading Index (PGI).

About the Index:

Previous Editions:

• The PGI report for 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 has been released by the department.

Objective:

• PGI's primary goal is to promote evidence-based policymaking and emphasize course correction to ensure quality education for all.

PGI 2020-21 graded the states/UTs into ten categories:

• Level 1 is the highest achievable grade, which is for a State/UT scoring more than 950 points out of a total of 1000 points.
• Level 10 is the lowest grade available for scores less than 551.
• It is a comprehensive evidence-based analysis of the school education system across states and union territories.
• It divides states and union territories into ten grades based on their total score of 1,000 points.

Their performance is evaluated using 70 indicators spread across five domains:

• Access Infrastructure and Facilities as a Learning Outcome
• Equity
• Process of governance

Sources:

• The Index is based on data from several sources, including the 2020-21 Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +), the National Achievement Survey NAS 2017, and the Mid Day Meal Portal.

Information/ Facts:

• With approximately 14.9 lakh schools, 95 lakh teachers, and nearly 26.5 crore students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, India's education system is one of the largest in the world.

Significant Highlights:

Outstanding performers

• Gujarat is now ranked among the top performing states in terms of school education.
• Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have joined Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Maharashtra in being classified as Level 2 with scores ranging from 901 to 950 out of a possible 1,000.
• A total of 12 states and union territories, including the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Odisha, achieved Level 3 with a score ranging from 851 to 900.
• There were no states in the bottom three.
• Best Improver Ladakh has made the most progress, rising from Level 10 in 2019-2020 to Level 4 in 2020-2021.

The ratio of gross enrollment

• It compares enrollment in a particular level of education to the population of that age group.
• From 2018-2019 to 2021-2022, the primary section improved from 101.3% to 104.8%.
• It has risen from 76.9% in 2018-19 to 79.6% in 2021-22 for secondary classes.
• It has risen from 50.14% to 57.6% at the higher secondary level.

GER Gender Parity Index (GPI)

• It represents the proportion of girls in school in relation to their population in the corresponding age group.
• It was also discovered to be more beneficial to girls than boys.

Enrollment in pre-primary schools is declining.

• In 2021-2022, 94.95 lakh students enrolled in pre-primary classes, a 10% decrease from the previous year, when 1.06 crore children enrolled in these classes.
• Enrollment in pre-primary classes fell by 21% between 2020 and 2021.

Primary school enrollment is declining.

• Classes 1–5 are included.
• For the first time, it fell from 12.20 lakh in 2020-2021 to 12.18 lakh in 2021-2022.
• However, the total number of students from primary to secondary school increased by 19 lakh, reaching 25.57 crore.

A decrease in the number of schools

• According to the report, the number of schools has decreased due to closures and a teacher shortage.
• In 2021-2022, there were 20,000 fewer schools, as the total number of schools fell from 15.09 lakh to 14.89 lakh.
• In terms of state breakdown, Madhya Pradesh (7,689), Odisha (1,894), Andhra Pradesh (1,395), Uttar Pradesh (1143), Punjab (994), and Maharashtra(509). were the states with the highest number of school closures during the second pandemic year

Private vs. public education

• According to the UDISE+ report, enrollment in private schools has continued to decline, while enrollment in government schools has increased.
• As a result of the pandemic's financial constraints, private school students continued to enrol in public schools.

Infrastructure

• Computers were available in 44.75% of schools, but Internet access was only available in 33.9%.
• However, their availability has increased since the pre-Covid period, when only 38.5% of schools had computers and 22.3% had Internet access.

The Index's Importance:                     

Best educational outcomes

• The goal of PGI is to encourage states and territories to implement multi-pronged interventions that will result in the desired optimal education outcomes across all dimensions.

Identifying the gaps

• PGI is expected to assist states and UTs in identifying gaps and prioritizing areas for intervention in order to ensure that the school education system is robust at all the levels.

India Chem 2022

• India Chem 2022, the 12th Biennial International Exhibition and Conference, was recently opened in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan.
• "Vision 2030: Chemicals and Petrochemicals Build India" is the topic of India Chem 2022.

What is the state of the Indian chemical industry?

• The vastly diversified Indian chemical sector can be broadly divided into bulk chemicals, specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, petrochemicals, polymers, and fertilizers.
• India is the world's fourth-largest producer of agrochemicals, behind China, Japan, and the United States.
• The sixth-largest chemical manufacturer in the world is India.
• India is the second-largest producer and exporter of dyes, making up around 16% of global output.
• With the exception of a few hazardous compounds, the nation's chemicals industry has lost its license.
• India ranks eighth in worldwide imports and fourteenth in exports of chemicals, giving it a dominant position in both markets (excluding pharmaceuticals).

What related government initiatives are there?

• The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals received Rs. 209 crores from the government under the Union Budget 2022–23.
• To promote Bulk Drug Parks, production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes have been implemented.
• The government intends to construct a PLI system with 10–20% output incentives for the agrochemical industry and to build a cluster-based ecosystem for end-to-end manufacturing.
• The government has created a 2034 vision for the chemicals and petrochemicals industry to look at ways to increase domestic output, decrease imports, and draw in investment.