Maharashtra's Education Push Pays Off: Kolhapur Leads, Mumbai at Sixth in PGI Rankings 2023–24

Maharashtra’s school education system significantly improved in the academic year 2023–24, as revealed by the Union Ministry of Education’s latest Performance Grading Index (PGI) report. The report highlights Kolhapur district, which emerged as the top-performing region in the state across multiple educational parameters. In contrast, Mumbai, the state’s capital, ranked sixth.

The PGI, a national-level tool introduced by the Ministry of Education, evaluates the performance of school education systems based on five key parameters—learning outcomes, classroom transactions, infrastructure, digital learning, and governance—assigning a cumulative score of 600. This year, Kolhapur scored 345 out of 600, placing it in the Prachesta-I category, which signifies districts that meet 51–60% of performance targets and are progressing steadily toward excellence.

Kolhapur Leads Prachesta-I Category in Maharashtra

Kolhapur led the state in PGI scores and secured the top position in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan report for learning outcomes. The district received 161 out of 290 possible marks under the outcomes parameter—an achievement unmatched by any other district in the state.

The PGI categorizes districts into nine grades based on performance. Prachesta-I, the grade Kolhapur achieved, indicates consistent effort and a focus on reaching the higher performance bands—Uttam and Utkarsh. In the 2023–24 cycle, Maharashtra had 14 districts fall into the Prachesta-II grade, one step lower than Prachesta-I. Nationwide, 107 districts qualified under the Prachesta-I grade.

Mumbai’s Position: Ranked Sixth in the State

Though an urban education hub, Mumbai ranked sixth in the state’s PGI list, following Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, Sangli, and Ahilyanagar. Other districts that made it to the top 10 include Nagpur, Washim, Pune, and Jalgaon. However, Mumbai’s suburban region was among the lowest-performing districts in Maharashtra, alongside Parbhani and Gadchiroli.

The discrepancy between Mumbai city and its suburban region highlights the uneven spread of educational performance, even within urban areas. It suggests more targeted interventions in certain zones to ensure inclusive educational development.

The Role of ‘Mission Utkarsh’ in Kolhapur’s Success

Kolhapur’s rapid progress is primarily attributed to a focused, well-planned intervention: Mission Utkarsh. According to S Karthikeyan, Chief Executive Officer of the Kolhapur Zilla Parishad, the district analyzed its PGI scores from 2020–21 and 2021–22 to identify weak spots. Based on this analysis, the administration developed a time-bound action plan to address specific issues.

Key improvements under Mission Utkarsh included:

• Repair and upgrading of school toilets, buildings, and ramps
• Installation of purified drinking water units
• Intensive preparation of students for national assessments through mock tests
• Focused teaching of language, mathematics, and general knowledge
• Use of digital learning tools to strengthen understanding
• Introduction of math-solving tricks to enhance student engagement and outcomes

These comprehensive efforts ensured that students received academic support and a conducive learning environment, leading to a marked improvement in overall performance.

Emphasis on Outcomes and Activity-Based Learning

Among the PGI’s five key parameters, ‘Outcomes’ carries the heaviest weight—290 marks out of 600. This category includes sub-indicators such as student learning levels, teacher availability, and quality of education delivered. Kolhapur’s outstanding score of 161 in this section affirms its focused efforts on improving actual learning rather than just infrastructural inputs.

Education expert Shankar Yadav, based in Kolhapur, emphasized the critical need for activity-based learning in public schools. He pointed out that the PGI’s primary purpose is not merely ranking but identifying gaps and enabling corrective action. According to him, while Maharashtra’s schools have shown progress, consistent attention must be given to upgrading teaching methodologies and providing access to educational aids and digital tools.

Challenges Remain for Lagging Districts

While Kolhapur's success is commendable, the report also draws attention to areas that require urgent attention. Parbhani, Mumbai Suburban, and Gadchiroli have been flagged among the least-performing districts in the outcomes parameter. The 14 districts in the Prachesta-II grade indicate that despite overall state improvement, disparities still exist.

These districts may benefit from adopting strategies similar to Kolhapur's, including data-driven planning, infrastructure enhancement, focused academic coaching, and leveraging digital resources.

The Road Ahead: From Prachesta to Utkarsh

Maharashtra's overall trajectory in school education is on the rise. Still, the state now faces the challenge of sustaining this momentum and elevating more districts into the top performance bands—Uttam and Utkarsh. Achieving these grades requires exceeding minimum targets and ensuring consistent excellence across all parameters.

The state's educational leadership must focus on student expansion and enrollment, student learning experiences, teacher empowerment, and community engagement. Programs like Mission Utkarsh have proven that targeted, well-funded, and well-monitored interventions can produce significant results even in a short span.

Conclusion

The 2023–24 PGI and PARAKH reports affirm that Maharashtra is moving in the right direction concerning school education. Kolhapur’s leadership in outcomes and PGI scores highlights what is possible with visionary planning and execution. Mumbai’s sixth rank reminds us that even established urban centers must constantly innovate to stay ahead. With continued efforts and the replication of successful models, Maharashtra can aspire to bring more districts into the national spotlight and ensure quality education for all.