A survey released recently by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) has ranked Maharashtra as the eighth best state when it comes to primary school education.
The ranking is a huge upgrade from the state’s 17th rank last year indicating that the state has improved both on the academic and infrastructural front for primary schools. The survey has, however, found that the state was lagging far behind in terms of elementary education, as well as higher secondary education.
The findings of the NUEPA, based on physical surveys of schools in the city, has found that when compared to primary schools in other states, the schools in Maharashtra have improved manifold. This has been due to the concerted effort of the state to implement the MHRD funded Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) stringently.
The report points to the fact that the state had been lagging in previous years due to poor amenities like toilets, classrooms, mid-day meal schemes, teachers, use of teaching aids and so on, as a result of which, it had lagged behind other states and was ranked 17th. However, in the survey undertaken in the year 2011-12, which is the latest report, the state has improved dramatically and has jumped up nine spots to take the eighth spot ahead of Gujarat, but is behind states like Tamil Nadu, Delhi and even Lakshwadeep Islands.
The survey was undertaken in 28 states and seven union territories in the country wherein data from 3,68,615 primary and upper primary schools in the country was collated to reach the figure.
However, Maharashtra has shown to lag in elementary and upper primary education with rankings as low as 10th in elementary education, and 11th in upper primary education. In terms of availability of schools, Maharashtra is ranked 31st in elementary education and 25th in higher secondary education. In terms of student and teacher ratio, the state is ranked 17th in both elementary and upper primary education.
The 35-page exhaustive report by the NUEPA elaborates various aspects of school education, wherein bifurcation has been made with regards to aided and unaided institutions as well as government and private institutions.